Journal of Pain Research (Sep 2023)

Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome: A Protocol for Data Mining

  • He Y,
  • Miao F,
  • Fan Y,
  • He J,
  • Zhang F,
  • Wang Z,
  • Wu Y,
  • Zhao Y,
  • Yang P

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 3265 – 3272

Abstract

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Yujun He,1 Furui Miao,1 Yushan Fan,1 Jiujie He,1 Fangzhi Zhang,1 Zibin Wang,1 Yu Wu,1 Yiping Zhao,1 Pu Yang2 1Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Furui Miao; Yushan Fan, Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu East Road, Xi Xiang Tang District, Nanning City, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a neuromuscular condition characterized by discomfort in the gluteal region. The efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment modality for PS has been substantiated through a multitude of clinical trials. However, certain queries persist, such as the optimal approach for identifying the most efficacious acupoints. The objective of this study is to perform an initial data mining analysis aimed at identifying the optimal acupoint selection and combinations for the treatment of PS.Methods: We will search 7 electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. We will select clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture therapy in the management of PS. Exclusions will be made for reviews, protocols, animal trials, case reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The primary outcome measure will be clinical outcomes associated with PS. Descriptive statistics will be performed in Excel 2019. Association rule analysis will be performed in SPSS Modeler 18.0. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis will be performed in SPSS Statistics 26.0.Results: This study will investigate the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for patients with PS.Conclusion: Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with PS, helping clinicians and patients make a more informed decision together.Keywords: piriformis syndrome, acupuncture, data mining

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