1.
Acupuncture and related techniques for obesity and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis.
Chen, J, Chen, D, Ren, Q, Zhu, W, Xu, S, Lu, L, Chen, X, Yan, D, Nie, H, Zhou, X
Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society. 2020;(4):227-234
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess how acupuncture and related techniques affect weight-related indicators and cardiovascular risk factors compared with non-acupuncture interventions in overweight and obese patients. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase and CENTRAL up to 19 April 2018 and included relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using the inverse variance method with random-effects model. Prespecified hypotheses were tested in meta-regression to investigate the source of heterogeneity. Statistical software packages used were RevMan 5.3.5 and Stata 14.0. RESULTS Thirty-three RCTs were included (n=2503 patients). Compared with non-acupuncture interventions, acupuncture produced a greater reduction in body weight (WMD -1.76 kg, 95% CI -2.22 to -1.30, I2=77%; moderate quality), body mass index (WMD -1.13 kg/m2, 95% CI -1.38 to -0.88, I2=85%; low quality) and waist circumference (WMD -2.42 cm, 95% CI -3.22 to -1.62, I2=75%; moderate quality). Acupuncture plus lifestyle intervention resulted in a greater reduction in body weight than acupuncture alone (MD -1.94 kg, 95% CI -3.17 to -0.70). Acupuncture also led to a greater reduction in total cholesterol (WMD -12.87 mg/dL, 95% CI -22.17 to -3.57, I2=87%; very low quality) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD -13.52 mg/dL, 95% CI -21.47 to -5.58, I2=74%; low quality). The differences were not statistically significant for blood glucose or blood pressure. CONCLUSION In the short term, acupuncture and related techniques may produce a small but statistically significant degree of weight loss based on moderate- to low-quality evidence, and improve serum lipid parameters based on low- to very-low-quality evidence. Their effects on blood glucose and blood pressure remain uncertain.
2.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency predicts poor outcome amongst acute ischaemic stroke patients with low high density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Xu, T, Zhong, C, Peng, Y, Chen, CS, Wang, J, Ju, Z, Li, Q, Geng, D, Sun, Y, Zhang, D, et al
European journal of neurology. 2016;(12):1763-1768
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current observational studies indicate that a lower vitamin D level is associated with a higher risk of poor ischaemic stroke prognosis. Whether this association is affected by lipid levels is unclear. Our aim was to examine the effect of serum vitamin D especially its deficiency on the global outcome of ischaemic stroke stratified by individual lipid component level. METHODS A total of 3181 ischaemic patients from China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischaemic Stroke were included in this study and their baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were tested. They were prospectively followed up for death, major disability and vascular events for 3 months after acute ischaemic stroke. A multivariable logistic model was used to evaluate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and clinical outcomes of ischaemic stroke in the 3-month period of follow-up in all patients and in different lipid-level subgroups. RESULTS Vitamin D deficiency was associated with poor clinical outcomes only in ischaemic stroke patients with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) <1.04 mmol/l rather than all patients. The multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of major disability and composite adverse events were 1.98 (1.08-3.63) and 2.24 (1.22-4.12), respectively. There was a significant interaction effect between vitamin D and HDLC levels on major disability and the composite outcome (P for interaction < 0.05 for both). A significant linear trend existed between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of poor prognosis (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D deficiency may be merely an independent risk factor of poor prognosis in ischaemic stroke patients with low HDLC level.