Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39732636›Full record

ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2024

Electroacupuncture treatment for sarcopenia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Hao Li, Li Zhou, Xin Zhang, Qian Wen, Li Tian, Han Yang, Xirong Chen, Jinghan Yuan, Ning Li, Bingmei Zhu and 2 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Electroacupuncture combined with nutritional intervention for gastrointestinal cancer-related sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial using ultrasonographic indices.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Trial
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Hao Li *Division of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Li Zhou *Core Facilities of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xin ZhangDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Qian WenDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Li TianDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Han YangDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xirong ChenDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Road No. 33 Jiangshan, Zhengzhou, 450054, China.
Jinghan YuanDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Ning LiDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Bingmei ZhuDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Lin ZhangWest China Hospital, General Practice Ward/International Medical Center Ward, General Practice Medical Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. zhanglhx@wchscu.cn.
Lingyun LuDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 18583955132@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSarcopenia is a disease primarily characterized by age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, and/or decline in physical performance. Sarcopenia has an insidious onset which can cause functional impairment in the body and increase the risk of falls and disability in the elderly. It significantly increases the likelihood of fractures and mortality, severely impairing the quality of life and health of the elderly people. This disease poses a heavy burden on the healthcare system and society in our country, and currently, there are limited clinical intervention strategies for sarcopenia. This study aims to explore the clinical efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in treating sarcopenia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this parallel-design, randomized, sham-controlled trial, a total of 168 elderly sarcopenia patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either electroacupuncture (EA) or sham electroacupuncture (sEA) treatment. The acupuncture points used in the study are Hegu (LI4), Shousanli (LI10), Quchi (LI11), Binao (LI14), Futu (ST32), Liangqiu (ST34), Zusanli (ST36), and Jiexi (ST41). The participants will receive EA or sEA treatment three times per week for eight weeks. The primary outcome measure is the change in grip strength (GS) of the patients after the eight-week treatment. The secondary outcome measures include the changes in grip strength at the fourth and twentieth weeks, changes in appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score, the physical activity level (PAL) assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), assessment of expectations regarding the efficacy of acupuncture, patient subjective evaluation of efficacy, and evaluation of blinding efficacy of acupuncture. All statistical analyses will be conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle and as per the study protocol. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (permission number: 2023 - 525). The participants will provide written informed consent to participate in this study.

trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn ), Registration number: ChiCTR2300079294. Date of Registration: 2023-12-29.

Indexed as

ElectroacupunctureSarcopeniaAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicElectroacupunctureRandomized controlled trialSarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID39732636
PMCPMC11682646

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.