title: Review of Clinical Studies of the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Using Acupuncture and Moxibustion.
abstract: Background.Clinical studies suggest that acupuncture and moxibustion therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC) can regulate bowel inflammation, and these treatments have the advantages of low rates of adverse reactions and recurrence as well as good long-term efficacy. We reviewed the current status of clinical studies of the treatment.Methods.Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using the therapy as the major intervention for treating UC were included from 1995 to 2015. The extracted data mainly included diagnostic standards, treatment methods, selection of acupoints, treatment times and courses, and efficacy determination criteria.Results.The use of diagnostic standards and efficacy criteria lacked unification and standardization. There were two main groups: acupuncture and moxibustion therapy combined with drug treatment and the use of all types of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy alone or in combination. The acupoint compositions included distal-proximal point combinations, back-shu point and front-mu point combinations, and acupuncture through meridians. The treatment courses in all the clinical trials had large variations.Conclusion.The treatment of UC in the examined articles was mainly based on the classical theory. However, many links of the clinical regimen design were still lacking, which affected the repeatability of the clinical studies and the accuracy of the clinical conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9388-0833
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Xia-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Huan-Gan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1725-6881
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Hyoyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Im
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Rong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5132-1141
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Yi
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8888-1698
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4636-5294
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li