2024 Nutrition Journal

Higher consumption of ultra-processed food by pregnant women was linked to an increased risk of infantile atopic dermatitis within the first year of life.

The research used 861 pairs of pregnant women and their offspring from the Mothers' and Children's Environmental Health project in Korea. These women’s dietary intake was measured using the 24-hour recall method during 12-28 weeks gestation. Foods were classified as ultra-processed following the NOVA classification and their consumption was calculated as the proportion of total energy intake, with participants categorized into quartiles. The prevalence of infantile atopic dermatitis was assessed based on their medical histories and according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood criteria.

The results revealed that children born to mothers in the highest quartile of ultra-processed food consumption, compared to the lowest quartile, showed a higher risk towards atopic dermatitis within 12 months. This relationship became stronger after adjusting for certain confounding variables. Additionally, the link stayed consistent even after adjusting based on the Korean Healthy Eating Index, which measures diet quality.

Association of maternal ultra-processed food consumption during pregnancy with atopic dermatitis in infancy: Korean Mothers and Children’s Environmental Health (MOCEH) study Jang W, Kim M, Ha E, Kim H

2023 Applied Sciences

Honey accelerates the healing of diabetic foot ulcers, reduces wound size, and lowers the rates of amputation or hospitalisation, making it a cost-effective and safe treatment.

The methodology of the review incorporated studies exploring the effects of honey on wound healing, emphasizing its impact on diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Different types of honey and their potential influence on treatment efficacy were considered. The review also scrutinised the mechanisms by which honey promotes wound healing and how honey dressings are utilized in the management of diabetic wounds. Nonetheless, it was noted that few of the studies provided comprehensive data regarding the specific characteristics of the employed honey, affecting the comparison across honey types.

The discussion of the results found in most clinical studies indicated that DFUs treated with honey resulted in rapid wound healing, substantial wound contraction, and decreased rates of amputation or hospitalisation. The properties of honey - serving as an effective antibacterial agent against multidrug-resistant bacteria and fostering wound healing through its physical-chemical attributes - were found to be the underlying reasons for these positive outcomes. Furthermore, honey was deemed to be a cost-effective and safe option for managing DFUs.

Honey Therapy in Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Promising Strategy for Effective Wound Healing Bezerra A, Fonseca H, Rodrigues F, Delerue-Matos C, Gouvinhas I, Garcia J

2022 Frontiers in Pharmacology

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) improved AD symptoms but had no significant impact on patients' quality of life or IgE levels suggesting CHM's potential as an AD treatment with further research.

CHM showed benefits in improving AD symptoms, such as itching and skin appearance, compared to placebos. However, it didn't significantly affect patients' quality of life or IgE levels. CHM was safe, with only minor side effects. These findings suggest CHM could be a useful treatment for AD, but more standard guidelines are needed due to variations in herbal ingredients and dosages in different studies.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: Evidence from eight high-quality randomized placebo-controlled trials Cai X, Sun X, Liu L, Zhou Y, Hong S, Wang J, Chen J, Zhang M, Wang C, Lin N, Li S, Xu R, Li X

2022 Dermatologic Therapy

Long Dan Xie Gan formula used as an adjuvant therapy may hasten skin healing, relieve pain symptoms, and prevent persistent pain in acute herpes zoster patients.

For the methodology, multiple databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang were searched by two independent authors for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) until July 31, 2021. The chosen studies analysed the additive effects of LDXG formula, in different forms such as decoction, capsule, or pill, for acute herpes zoster management. Nine RCTs fitting the criteria were selected, totaling 821 patients for the meta-analysis.

Concerning the results, statistical analysis using a random effect model revealed that adding LDXG formula to conventional therapy noticeably shortened the time of blister resolution, crust formation, and pain resolution. It also reduced the pain intensity and incidence of lingering pain for those with acute herpes zoster in comparison to conventional treatment alone. Yet, this evidence was assessed as being of very low to moderate certainty, indicating interpretation of these results should be cautious due to statistical heterogeneity and/or an unclear risk of bias existing.

Longdan Xiegan formula as adjuvant therapy for acute herpes zoster: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Zhang L, Duan A, Li Y, Feng J

2022 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, can provide superior pain relief and faster recovery for HIV-related Herpes Zoster compared to regular drugs.

The review began by searching nine electronic databases for randomized controlled trials focused on the use of traditional Chinese medicine in treating HIV-associated Herpes Zoster. Two independent authors extracted data on interventions and outcomes, and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the trials. Meta-analyses were subsequently performed using specific software.

Results of the review showed that in general, the use of Chinese herbal medicine resulted in lower pain intensity and shorter herpes-related pain duration. Additionally, patients treated with this type of medicine and combined treatments recorded lower incidences of postherpetic neuralgia. The cure rate, defined as the complete absence of pain and herpes, also significantly improved with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, compared to regular drugs. Notably, four trials reported on side effects, and no severe adverse events were mentioned.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for HIV-Associated Acute Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials Jiang Y, Zheng RX, Yu ZY, Zhang XW, Li J, Lan HD, Qiao SY, Han M, Cao HJ, Robinson N, Liu JP

2022 Medicine

Acupuncture coupled with traditional Chinese medicine may be more effective and safer than conventional Western medicine in treating chronic urticaria.

To compare the efficacy of acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine to conventional Western medicine, several databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, and CBM, were searched until August 2021. The criterion for inclusion were randomized control trials where the experimental group was treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, and the control group with conventional Western medicine. Studies were excluded if they were repeated publications, lacked full text, incomplete in information, or incapable of data extraction. Animal experiments, reviews, and systematic reviews were also disregarded. Data analysis was conducted using STATA 15.1 software.

The analyzed results revealed that the total effective rate of the group treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine was noticeably higher than those treated with conventional Western medicine. Additionally, this group showed considerably lower Urticaria Activity Scores and pruritus scores compared to those treated with Western medicine. However, there was no substantial difference shown in the wheal score between both groups. Significantly, the recurrence rate and the incidence rate of adverse events in the group treated with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine were markedly lower than the other group. This highlights the greater effectiveness and safety of the combination of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine for chronic urticaria compared to Western medicine.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine combined with acupuncture in the treatment of chronic urticaria: A meta-analysis Lu Z, Zhou Q, Chai S, Yang H, Wang J, Luo H, Cao Y, Tao M

2021 Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports

Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction combined with valacyclovir appears to enhance the treatment of herpes zoster, improving pain intensity, and crust formation time.

For this systematic review, a comprehensive search was conducted in bibliographic databases - PubMed, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan-fang Database until the 6th of April, 2021. The main focus was on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) that looked at herpes zoster treatments involving the combined use of Longdanxiegan Decoction (LDXGD) and valacyclovir. The quality of these studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and a meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 software.

The analysis incorporated five studies with a total of 414 participants. The methodological quality of these studies ranged from low to moderate. The combined use of LDXGD and valacyclovir showed relative benefits in efficacy rates compared to the use of valacyclovir alone. This was reflected in the lower pain intensity noted by a visual analogue scale, decreased incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and shorter time frame to crust formation. However, the safety profile for the combined treatment of LDXGD and valacyclovir remains unclear.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine longdanxiegan decoction combined with val-acyclovir in herpes zoster: A systematic review and mate-analysis Wang X, , Wu L, Hou Y, Ding S, Wang S, Zhang Y, Zhang G, , , , , ,

2021 Annals of Palliative Medicine

Acupuncture therapy could potentially serve as an effective supplementary treatment method for psoriasis.

The methodology of this study involved a thorough search across eight electronic databases, include grey, or unpublished, literatures. The search ranged from the date of inception of these databases to July 2021. Researchers used strict criteria to select which systematic reviews and meta-analyses to include in their analysis. The selected reviews were then assessed using specific tools to evaluate their methodological quality, reporting quality, bias risk, and the overall quality of primary outcome measures.

In the results discussion, it was found that, of the seven systematic reviews and meta-analyses that met the inclusion criteria, all were deemed to have low methodological quality and contained major discrepancies in their financial statements, protocols, and registrations. Two of these studies were considered to have a low risk of bias. Out of 27 outcomes investigated in this review, only one was classified as high-quality evidence, seven as moderate-quality, and 19 as low-quality. Despite these findings, the researchers cautiously endorse acupuncture as a supplementary treatment method for psoriasis, although this endorsement is based mostly on lower-quality evidence.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for psoriasis: an overview of systematic reviews Jing M, Shi L, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Yuan F, Zhu B, Chen M, Ge X

2021 American Journal of Translational Research

Using a combined treatment of modified Buzhong Yiqi decoction and Gangtai ointment improves wound healing and anal function for circumferential mixed hemorrhoid patients.

The researchers enrolled 120 patients with circumferential mixed hemorrhoids into this trial. After undergoing a surgical procedure, these participants were randomly sorted into two groups for treatment. The control group received chitosan hydrogels for wound healing on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the research group was treated with a daily oral dose of modified Buzhong Yiqi decoction together with Gangtai ointment applied externally twice a day for two weeks. Observations for comparison between groups included effective rates, pain indexes, perianal edema scores, quality of life score, wound healing and pain resolution times, anal functions, wound exudate scores, as well as adverse reactions.

In comparing the results of the experiment, it was found that the modified Buzhong Yiqi and Gangtai ointment combination gave better results across most measured outcomes. The research group showed a higher effective rate, reduced pain, and less perianal edema. The group's quality of life was improved, and their wounds healed more quickly with less pain experienced during recovery. Being able to maintain anal function was found to be more successful in the research group, and they had fewer incidences of adverse reactions. Furthermore, changes in wound exudate scores at 7 and 14 days post-treatment were lesser than those observed in the control group.

The effects of modified Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Gangtai ointment on the wound healing and anal function in circumferential mixed hemorrhoid patients Lu B, Du J, Wu X

2020 Journal of Integrative Medicine

Cupping therapy, as an adjunct to current treatments, may potentially enhance efficacy when treating patients with chronic urticaria.

The research adopted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, with the focus on efficacy and safety of cupping therapy for chronic urticaria. The researchers employed a search strategy aimed at identifying related keywords like "chronic urticaria" and "cupping therapy" in the title and abstracts, sourced from nine major electronic databases up till May 2019. Only trials that included patients with chronic urticaria who received dry or wet cupping were considered. The quality of the methodological design and potential bias of the studies were evaluated.

The findings suggest the efficacy of cupping therapy when used, not as a standalone treatment, but as an adjunct to other treatments, particularly to antihistamines and acupuncture. In a sample of trials, there were no significant differences between using wet cupping and conventional medications in terms of their total effective rate. However, cupping therapy combined with antihistamines or acupuncture was found to be more effective than when these treatments were used separately. No serious adverse events were reported as part of these findings.

Cupping therapy for patients with chronic urticaria: A systematic review and meta-analysis Xiao, X., Zhang, L., Shi, Y., Yao, J., Cao, W., Liu, Y., Zou, Z., Zhou, S., Chen, M., Li, C., Zheng, Q., & Li, Y.

2020 Journal of Integrative Medicine

Cupping therapy, as an adjunct to current treatments, may potentially enhance efficacy when treating patients with chronic urticaria.

The research adopted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, with the focus on efficacy and safety of cupping therapy for chronic urticaria. The researchers employed a search strategy aimed at identifying related keywords like "chronic urticaria" and "cupping therapy" in the title and abstracts, sourced from nine major electronic databases up till May 2019. Only trials that included patients with chronic urticaria who received dry or wet cupping were considered. The quality of the methodological design and potential bias of the studies were evaluated.

The findings suggest the efficacy of cupping therapy when used, not as a standalone treatment, but as an adjunct to other treatments, particularly to antihistamines and acupuncture. In a sample of trials, there were no significant differences between using wet cupping and conventional medications in terms of their total effective rate. However, cupping therapy combined with antihistamines or acupuncture was found to be more effective than when these treatments were used separately. No serious adverse events were reported as part of these findings.

Cupping therapy for patients with chronic urticaria: A systematic review and meta-analysis Xiao, X., Zhang, L., Shi, Y., Yao, J., Cao, W., Liu, Y., Zou, Z., Zhou, S., Chen, M., Li, C., Zheng, Q., & Li, Y.

2020 Medicine

Moving cupping therapy, alone or coupled with other treatments, could effectively alleviate symptoms of plaque psoriasis with minimal side effects.

The researchers conducted an exhaustive review of various databases up until March 2020, including PubMed, Embase, and others. The review focused on randomized controlled trials concerning the treatment of plaque psoriasis using moving cupping therapy, either alone or combined with Chinese herbs or conventional Western medicine. The effects obtained from these trials were contrasted with outcomes from placebo-controlled, pharmaceutical medication-based or Chinese herb-based treatments. They also compared the frequency of the moving cupping treatment.

After a meticulous selection process, sixteen trials involving 1164 participants met the entry criteria. The meta-analysis demonstrated that those who underwent moving cupping therapy exhibited significant symptom improvement compared to those who did not. Additionally, the combination of moving cupping and pharmaceutical medications proved to be more effective than pharmaceutical treatments alone. The recurring rate of psoriasis also substantially dropped due to cupping therapy. While moving cupping reduced some blood markers more effectively than conventional medicine did, it didn't show distinct advantages in the visual analogue score. Few transient side effects like redness, itching, and local skin burning were reported associated with moving cupping therapy.

Moving cupping therapy for plaque psoriasis Xing M, Ding X, Zhang J, Kuai L, Ru Y, Sun X, Ma T, Miao X, Liu L, Wang Y, Li B, Li X

2020 Journal of Dermatological Treatment

Traditional Chinese medicine could potentially serve as an effective alternative therapy for managing Psoriasis vulgaris.

The methodology for this study involved reviewing controlled clinical trials regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine's (TCM) use for Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) treatment, conducted within the past decade. Over 2000 papers were considered, from which 17 high-quality articles were selectively reviewed. Aspects such as design defects, small sample size, and inadequate intervention time in some trials were noted, affecting their potential for full clarification of TCM's role in PV treatment.

Results from the accumulated data insinuated that Traditional Chinese Medicine might hold the multi-target advantage to substantially lower the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, thereby benefiting PV management. In addition to its potential efficacy, the safety of using TCM for treating Psoriasis vulgaris was also evaluated during this review.

Evidence and potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris: a systematic review and meta-analysis Dai D, Wu H, He C, Wang X, Luo Y, Song P

2019 Journal of Pain Research

Acupuncture shows potential in reducing pain intensity, alleviating anxiety, and improving quality of life for patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia.

Methodology: To understand the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating postherpetic neuralgia, six different databases were examined for randomized controlled trials. The data from these studies was extracted and further assessed for quality. A meta-analysis was conducted on a selection of these studies using the software RevMan 5.3. Additionally, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation system contributed towards evaluating the overall quality of the evidence presented in these studies.

Discussion: The research establishes that acupuncture has a positive effect on postherpetic neuralgia, such as lowering the intensity of pain experienced and reducing the scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Other forms of intervention like electroacupuncture, fire needle, and bloodletting and cupping also proved effective in relieving pain. The results also indicate an enhanced quality of life for those individuals who used acupuncture. The quality of evidence that supports the use of acupuncture for this type of pain was judged to be moderate.

Is acupuncture an effective postherpetic neuralgia treatment? A systematic review and meta-analysis Pei, W., Zeng, J., Lu, L., Lin, G., & Ruan, J.

2019 Journal of Pain Research

Acupuncture shows potential in reducing pain intensity, alleviating anxiety, and improving quality of life for patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia.

Methodology: To understand the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating postherpetic neuralgia, six different databases were examined for randomized controlled trials. The data from these studies was extracted and further assessed for quality. A meta-analysis was conducted on a selection of these studies using the software RevMan 5.3. Additionally, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation system contributed towards evaluating the overall quality of the evidence presented in these studies.

Discussion: The research establishes that acupuncture has a positive effect on postherpetic neuralgia, such as lowering the intensity of pain experienced and reducing the scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Other forms of intervention like electroacupuncture, fire needle, and bloodletting and cupping also proved effective in relieving pain. The results also indicate an enhanced quality of life for those individuals who used acupuncture. The quality of evidence that supports the use of acupuncture for this type of pain was judged to be moderate.

Is acupuncture an effective postherpetic neuralgia treatment? A systematic review and meta-analysis Pei, W., Zeng, J., Lu, L., Lin, G., & Ruan, J.

2019 Journal of Pain Research

Acupuncture shows potential in reducing pain intensity, alleviating anxiety, and improving quality of life for patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia.

Methodology: To understand the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating postherpetic neuralgia, six different databases were examined for randomized controlled trials. The data from these studies was extracted and further assessed for quality. A meta-analysis was conducted on a selection of these studies using the software RevMan 5.3. Additionally, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation system contributed towards evaluating the overall quality of the evidence presented in these studies.

Discussion: The research establishes that acupuncture has a positive effect on postherpetic neuralgia, such as lowering the intensity of pain experienced and reducing the scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Other forms of intervention like electroacupuncture, fire needle, and bloodletting and cupping also proved effective in relieving pain. The results also indicate an enhanced quality of life for those individuals who used acupuncture. The quality of evidence that supports the use of acupuncture for this type of pain was judged to be moderate.

Is acupuncture an effective postherpetic neuralgia treatment? A systematic review and meta-analysis Pei, W., Zeng, J., Lu, L., Lin, G., & Ruan, J.

2019 Wound Repair and Regeneration

The herbal medicine Bu Zhong Yi Qi Yang can potentially promote healing in chronic wounds resistant to standard treatments, especially in malnourished patients.

In this investigation, a prospective, randomized trial was conducted on 18 patients with unresponsive chronic wounds. These patients were split into two groups: a medication group treated daily with 7.5g of oral Hochu-ekki-to, and a control group who didn't receive this treatment. The status of wound healing was assessed over a 12-week period, where it was scored based on factors such as depth, inflammation/infection, size, granulation tissue, necrotic tissue, exudate, and pocket size.

In the study, all patients in the medication group showed progress in wound healing at the end of 12 weeks. Conversely, only three patients in the control group showed comparable progress. This marked healing in the medication group was significantly noticeable after the 8-week mark. Hence, the study concluded that Hochu-ekki-to can be considered a beneficial adjunct therapy in managing chronic wounds, especially for patients suffering from malnutrition.

The beneficial effect of traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochu‐ekki‐to (Bu‐Zhong‐Yi‐Qi‐Tang), for patients with chronic wounds refractory to conventional therapies: A prospective, randomized trial Akita S, Namiki T, Kawasaki Y, Rikihisa N, Ogata H, Tokumoto H, Tezuka T, Kubota Y, Kuriyama M, Nakamura M, Mitsukawa N

2018 Complementary Therapies in Medicine

Acupuncture may improve symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.

The SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), VAS (Pruritus), VAS (Insomnia), Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) were significantly improved in the real acupuncture groups.

Acupuncture improves symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis: A randomized, sham-controlled preliminary trial Smith CA, Armour M, Lee MS, Wang LQ, Hay PJ

2018 Complementary Therapies in Medicine

Acupuncture may improve symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.

The SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), VAS (Pruritus), VAS (Insomnia), Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) were significantly improved in the real acupuncture groups.

Acupuncture improves symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis: A randomized, sham-controlled preliminary trial Smith CA, Armour M, Lee MS, Wang LQ, Hay PJ

2018 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Acupuncture has similar efficacy compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris, however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects and may be a treatment option.

There was no statistical difference in the efficacy of acupuncture compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris; however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects. Poor methodological quality of trial design and lack of consistent reporting of outcome measures from some trials were found in this review; therefore results should be interpreted with caution. Future trials should include rigorous methodological design and reporting should follow standard reporting conventions such as CONSORT and STRICTA. Quality of life measures and further understanding of the mechanisms of acupuncture on acne should also be considered for future studies.

Acupuncture for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Mansu SSY, Liang H, Parker S, Coyle ME, Wang K, Zhang AL, Guo X, Lu C, Xue CCL

2018 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Acupuncture has similar efficacy compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris, however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects and may be a treatment option.

There was no statistical difference in the efficacy of acupuncture compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris; however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects. Poor methodological quality of trial design and lack of consistent reporting of outcome measures from some trials were found in this review; therefore results should be interpreted with caution. Future trials should include rigorous methodological design and reporting should follow standard reporting conventions such as CONSORT and STRICTA. Quality of life measures and further understanding of the mechanisms of acupuncture on acne should also be considered for future studies.

Acupuncture for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Mansu SSY, Liang H, Parker S, Coyle ME, Wang K, Zhang AL, Guo X, Lu C, Xue CCL

2018 Medicine

There is limited evidence that acupuncture is safe and might be effective in pain relieving for patients with postherpetic neuralgia.

Seven RCTs comparing acupuncture versus pharmacologic therapy were included. Meta-analysis was conducted for acupuncture's effect on postherpetic neuralgia evaluating by pain intensity. Results from 2 RCTs showed that compared with pharmacologic therapy, acupuncture was better in decreasing the pain intensity measured by visual analog scale score. The limitations of the study are as follows: only trials comparing acupuncture versus pharmacologic therapy were included and all of the included trials were performed in China.

Acupuncture for postherpetic neuralgia: Systematic review and meta-analysis Wang, Yang., Li, Wang., Peng, Weina., Zhou, Jing., Liu, Zhishun

2017 The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Acupuncture-related techniques could be considered as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for psoriasis in short term.

A total of 13 RCTs with 1,060 participants were included. The methodological quality of included studies was not rigorous. Acupoint stimulation, compared with nonacupoint stimulation, had a significant treatment for psoriasis. However, the most common adverse events were thirst and dry mouth. Subgroup analysis was further done to confirm that the short-term treatment effect was superior to that of the long-term effect in treating psoriasis. Network meta-analysis identified acupressure or acupoint catgut embedding, compared with medication, and had a significant effect for improving psoriasis. It was noted that acupressure was the most effective treatment.

Acupuncture-related techniques for psoriasis: a systematic review with pairwise and network meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Yeh, M. L., Ko, S. H., Wang, M. H., Chi, C. C., & Chung, Y. C.

2016 American Journal of Clinical Dermatology

There is at least some level I evidence to support the use of acupuncture and acupressure as adjuncts to conventional treatment of atopic dermatitis.

There is at least some level I evidence to support the use of acupuncture and acupressure, stress-reducing techniques such as hypnosis, massage, and biofeedback, balneotherapy, herbal preparations (with many important caveats), certain botanical oils, oral evening primrose oil, vitamin D supplementation, and topical vitamin B12. Many other therapies either have sufficient data to suggest that they are ineffective, or simply do not have enough evidence to formulate a verdict.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Atopic Dermatitis: An Evidence-Based Review Vieira BL, Lim NR, Lohman ME, Lio PA.

2016 American Journal of Clinical Dermatology

There is at least some level I evidence to support the use of acupuncture and acupressure as adjuncts to conventional treatment of atopic dermatitis.

There is at least some level I evidence to support the use of acupuncture and acupressure, stress-reducing techniques such as hypnosis, massage, and biofeedback, balneotherapy, herbal preparations (with many important caveats), certain botanical oils, oral evening primrose oil, vitamin D supplementation, and topical vitamin B12. Many other therapies either have sufficient data to suggest that they are ineffective, or simply do not have enough evidence to formulate a verdict.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Atopic Dermatitis: An Evidence-Based Review Vieira BL, Lim NR, Lohman ME, Lio PA.

2016 BioMed Research International

Acupuncture may prove effective and safe in relieving symptoms of chronic urticaria.

In the methodology, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out incorporating randomised controlled trials. The main outcome focused on was global symptom improvement.

The results indicated that out of the 6 studies with 406 participants, three trials demonstrated a substantial difference between acupuncture and medication in terms of global symptom improvement. Moreover, when acupuncture was used as an addition to medication, it showed beneficial effects for global symptom improvement. No severe adverse events related to acupuncture were reported. Limitations included high bias risk across the trials, and methodological restrictions.

The Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture for Patients with Chronic Urticaria: A Systematic Review Yao Q, Li S, Liu X, Qin Z, Liu Z

2015 Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

Acupuncture improves outcome measures in the treatment of dermatitis, chloasma, pruritus, urticaria, hyperhidrosis, and facial elasticity.

Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Among these, 16 were randomized controlled trials, 6 were prospective observational studies, and 2 were case reports. Acupuncture was used to treat atopic dermatitis, urticaria, pruritus, acne, chloasma, neurodermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, hyperhidrosis, human papillomavirus wart, breast inflammation, and facial elasticity. In 17 of 24 studies, acupuncture showed statistically significant improvements in outcome measurements compared with placebo acupuncture, alternative treatment options, and no intervention.

Acupuncture as a treatment modality in dermatology: a systematic review Ma, C., & Sivamani, R. K.

2015 Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

Acupuncture improves outcome measures in the treatment of dermatitis, chloasma, pruritus, urticaria, hyperhidrosis, and facial elasticity.

Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Among these, 16 were randomized controlled trials, 6 were prospective observational studies, and 2 were case reports. Acupuncture was used to treat atopic dermatitis, urticaria, pruritus, acne, chloasma, neurodermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, hyperhidrosis, human papillomavirus wart, breast inflammation, and facial elasticity. In 17 of 24 studies, acupuncture showed statistically significant improvements in outcome measurements compared with placebo acupuncture, alternative treatment options, and no intervention.

Acupuncture as a treatment modality in dermatology: a systematic review Ma, C., & Sivamani, R. K.

2015 Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

Acupuncture improves outcome measures in the treatment of dermatitis, chloasma, pruritus, urticaria, hyperhidrosis, and facial elasticity.

Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Among these, 16 were randomized controlled trials, 6 were prospective observational studies, and 2 were case reports. Acupuncture was used to treat atopic dermatitis, urticaria, pruritus, acne, chloasma, neurodermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, hyperhidrosis, human papillomavirus wart, breast inflammation, and facial elasticity. In 17 of 24 studies, acupuncture showed statistically significant improvements in outcome measurements compared with placebo acupuncture, alternative treatment options, and no intervention.

Acupuncture as a treatment modality in dermatology: a systematic review Ma, C., & Sivamani, R. K.

2015 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Acupuncture is effective for ameliorating itch intensity in itch-related diseases.

In this systematic review, we have shown the meta-analysis of therapeutic effect that applies acupuncture therapy to treat itch-related disease by analyzing all the collected data from three RCTs involving 70 individuals. The result revealed that acupuncture is effective to ameliorate itch intensity of itch-related disease.

Efficacy of Acupuncture in Itch: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Randomized Controlled Trials Chi Yu, Pei Zhang, Zheng-Tao Lv, Jing-Jing Li, Hong-Ping Li, Cai-Hua Wu, Fang Gao, Xiao-Cui Yuan, Jing Zhang, Wei He, Xiang-Hong Jing, Man Li,

2015 Complementary Medicine Research

Acupuncture therapies demonstrate some potential benefits in treating psoriasis vulgaris, despite conflictions in individual study results.

The research conducted a comprehensive review of numerous databases including Embase, CENTRAL, PubMed, AMED, CINAHL and others, seeking prospective randomized controlled trials that evaluate the performance of acupuncture therapies for treating psoriasis vulgaris. This was carried out with no language restrictions. With the utilisation of the Cochrane risk of bias tool, the studies were carefully assessed. The primary measuring tool was the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score.

Results from the six individual studies, involving 522 participants, presented conflicting outcomes in regard to PASI reduction, lesion reduction (non-PASI), PASI score, and relapse rate. Quantitative analysis was carried out on five of the studies. However, the diversity in interventions, comparators, and reported outcomes rendered meta-analysis implausible. Despite the conflictions in individual study results, the outcome indicated some potential benefit of acupuncture therapies in treating psoriasis vulgaris.

Acupuncture Therapies for Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Coyle M, Deng J, Zhang AL, Yu J, Guo X, Xue CC, Lu C

2014 Wilderness & Environmental Medicine

Honey has shown to be a safe and occasionally superior treatment for various wounds compared to current treatments, even in wilderness environments.

The research was based on a review of existing literature on the physiological properties of honey, focusing on its uses in wound care. Documents showing the efficacy and safety of honey as a treatment for several wounds were examined. Comparisons with traditional wound treatment procedures were also made, presenting honey as a viable alternative. This evaluation even considered the use of honey in challenging environments, such as the wilderness.

The results showed that honey is not only a safe but sometimes a superior alternative to current wound treatments. Its unique physiological properties make it a valuable wound care resource. The versatility of honey, as indicated in the results, also suggests potential usability in unique or difficult environments like wilderness scenarios. Even with the variability in wounds and wound environments considered, honey was consistently shown thanks to its inherent antiseptic and healing properties.

Wound Care in the Wilderness: Is There Evidence for Honey? Stewart JA, McGrane OL, Wedmore IS