Therapeutic effect and safety of Tuina on Sciatica: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Review question / Objective: This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of Tuina in the treatment of Sciatica to clarify its efficacy and safety. Condition being studied: Sciatica is one of the common pain symptoms in the human body, also known as radiating leg pain. Sciatica is increasingly occurring due to poor posture and lack of physical exercise all over the world. At present, many studies have indicated that Tuina can improve the clinical symptoms and functional status of sciatica. However, there is currently no relevant systematic review to evaluate and report this clinical scientific issue. Consequently, this study will conduct a meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of Tuina therapy for sciatica.

Massage Therapy for Pulmonary Function in Patients Recovering From Covid-19: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background:Starting in December 2019 in Wuhan (Hubei province, China), a novel coronavirus, designated SARS-CoV-2, has caused an international outbreak of a respiratory illness and rapidly evolved into a pandemic.Given the rapidly growing pandemic and the overwhelmedmedical system, the number of self‐quarantined and recovering patients is increasing.There is an urgentneed of alternative medicine to help patients relieve symptoms duringself‐quarantine, and possibly to help increase their chances of survivaland recovery from COVID-19.Massage (tuina) therapy is one of the widely employed complementary and alternative medicine interventions in the world.Long-term clinicalpractices and experiences have shown that massage therapy could significantly contribute to the healing of most respiratory conditions and lung disease.This systematic review and meta-analysis will summarize the current evidence of tuina (massage) used as an intervention for pulmonary function in COVID-19 recovering patients.Methods:We will search the following electronic databases for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy inimproving pulmonary function ofCOVID-19 recovering patients: Wanfang and Pubmed Database, CNKI, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE. Each database will be searched from inception to June 2020. The entire process will include study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and meta-analyses.Discussion:This proposed systematic review will evaluate the existing evidence and explore the potential roleof massage therapyon the effectiveness and safety in pulmonary function of COVID-19 recovering patients.The outcomes will include the improvement of pulmonary function and adverse effect.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42020192107

Tuina Massage Improves Cognitive Functions of Hypoxic-Ischemic Neonatal Rats by Regulating Genome-Wide DNA Hydroxymethylation Levels

In addition to abnormalities of motor and posture, children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have intellectual disability. As a complementary and alternative traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, Chinese Tuina massage, also called Tuina in China, has been widely applied in clinical treatment for CP in China for a long time. However, the molecular basis for this still remains largely unknown. Recently, DNA hydroxymethylation has been shown to be sensitive to environment and plays critical roles in some neurological disorders, whereas the research focusing on the relationship between 5 hmC and Tuina therapy for cerebral palsy is deficient. In our study, we first observed that Tuina improved learning and memory functions of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) rat pups. Meanwhile, 5 hmC level of the temporal lobe cortex in the HI neonatal rat model is decreased significantly compared to that of the rats in control and Tuina groups. Then, we used the hMeDIP-Seq method to explore whether and how DNA hydroxymethylation is involved in Tuina therapy for cerebral palsy. Genomic annotation of DhMRs of HI group’s hypo-hydroxymethylation to genes revealed enrichment in multiple neurodevelopmental signaling pathways. Moreover, we found the depletion of 5 hmC modifications in genes associated with neuronal development was accompanied by reduced mRNA levels of these genes. Taken together, our results indicate that Tuina may regulate the expression of neurodevelopment-related genes by changing the status of DNA hydroxymethylation, thereby improving learning and memory functions of cerebral palsy.

The Effectiveness of Acupuncture Combined with Tuina Therapy in Patients with Migraine

Background: This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with tuina therapy in patients with migraine. Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled assessor-blind clinical trial was performed between January 2017 and May 2018, and 135 patients were assigned into acupuncture combined with tuina (A), acupuncture (B), and control (flunarizine hydrochloride) (C) groups, each with 45 patients. Treatments were performed for 12 weeks and a 4-week follow-up. Frequency of attacks, severity of pain, duration of migraine, associated symptoms, patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores, and frequency of analgesic consumption were assessed. Results: The total effective rate was 95.6, 88.9, and 75.6% for group A, B, and C, respectively, with a significant reduction in attack frequency, severity of pain, duration of migraine, and associated symptoms at post-treatment and follow-up compared to pre-treatment. The PRO scores and frequency of analgesic consumption were significantly improved (group A, p < 0.01; groups B and C, ­ p < 0.05). The differences in pre-/post-treatment and in pre-treatment/follow-up in groups A and B were significantly improved compared to group C (A vs. C, p < 0.01; B vs. C, A vs. B, p < 0.05). No significant adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with tuina could significantly increase the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in migraine treatment.