Identification of the optimal points for the acupuncture treatment of neck pain in China: protocol for a multicenter, matched, case-control study
Ling Zhao,
Hui Zheng,
Mingsheng Sun,
Guoyan Geng,
Jiao Chen,
Xingsha Ma,
Mingxi Yan,
Dingjun Cai,
Fan-rong Liang,
Chunxia Yang,
Siyuan Tao,
Jieru Peng
Affiliations
Ling Zhao
School of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Hui Zheng
Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Mingsheng Sun
Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Guoyan Geng
1 College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Jiao Chen
Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Peoples Republic of China
Xingsha Ma
1 College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Mingxi Yan
1 College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Dingjun Cai
1 College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Fan-rong Liang
Acupuncture and Tuina School / The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Clinical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Sichuan province, Chengdu, China
Chunxia Yang
1 Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
Siyuan Tao
2 West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Jieru Peng
Medical Administration Department, Chengdu Women`s and Children`s Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Introduction Neck pain (NP) is a common condition that can be effectively treated by acupuncture. However, several treatment point prescriptions (ie, local acupoints, distal acupoints, and sensitised acupoints) may be used. The present study aims to identify the types of sensitisation and the distribution of sensitised points in patients with NP, to analyse the cut-off values and sensitisation rate for acupoint sensitisation, and to summarise the dominant forms of optimally sensitised points. This information will be helpful when choosing the optimal points to treat NP.Methods and analysis This multicentre, matched, case–control study will enrol 224 patients with NP, and 224 age-matched and sex-matched healthy participants as controls. Body surface temperature, mechanical pain threshold, pressure pain threshold and skin resistance will be assessed at the 15 acupoints most frequently used to treat NP, and at the five body regions in which pain occurs most frequently. Hypothesis testing will be used to compare the differences in variables between cases and controls. In addition, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis will be used to explore the cut-off values of the sensitive states of heat, pain and electrical resistance, which indicate sensitisation of the acupoint. The optimal points will be comprehensively determined by the acupoint sensitisation rate and OR.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval of this study has been granted by the Research Ethical Committee of the Teaching Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ID: 2018 KL-016). The outcomes of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.Trial registration ChiCTR1800016220.
