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Table 2 Details of acupuncture intervention

From: Efficacy evaluation and mechanism study of electroacupuncture intervention in acute phase of IFP: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Description

1. Acupuncture rationale

1a.) Style of acupuncture

Traditional Chinese medicine.

1b.) Rationale for treatment

Acupuncture for the treatment of facial palsy has been strongly recommended as level I evidence in the evidence-based acupuncture therapy compiled by Chinese scholar Dr. Du Yuanhao. It has also been proved to be safe and reliable in practice.

1c.) Extent to which treatment was varied

There is no individualized part in the acupuncture process.

2. Details of needling

2a.) Number of needle insertions per subject per session

Acute phase: 6 times at least (experimental group).

Recovery phase: 9 times (both groups).

2b.) Names of the insertion points (uni- or bilateral)

Acute phase: SJ17, GB2, GB14, EX-HN4, ST2, SI18, ST4, LI4, and (affected side).

Recovery phase: GB14, EX-HN4, ST2, SI18, ST4, EX-HN16, LI4, and Ashi point (affected side).

2c.) Depth of insertion

10–20 mm (exact depth shown in Table 3).

2d.) Response sought

Deqi.

2e.) Needle stimulation

Simultaneous intervention of electric stimulation and manual stimulation (exact details are in Table 3).

2f.) Needle retention time

30 min (from the last needle insertion to the stopping of the treatment).

2g.) Needle type

0.25 mm (diameter) × 40 mm (length) disposal needle (Huatuo Acupuncture, Suzhou, China).

3. Treatment regimen

3a.) Number of treatment sessions

6 times at least in the acute phase and 9 times in the recovery phase, during the 30-day test period, no less than 15 treatments in total.

3b.) Frequency and duration of treatment sessions

During the acute phase of 10 days except for Sunday, once a day, and 3 times a week during the next 20 days of the recovery phase.

4. Other components of treatment

4a.) Details of other interventions administered to the acupuncture group

No other interventions.

4b.) Setting and context of treatment

Inform patients that they will receive electroacupuncture or oral prednisone tablets in the acute phase, but both groups will be treated with the same acupuncture regimen after the assessment in the acute phase.

5. Practitioner background

5.) Description of participating acupuncturists

The physician performing acupuncture treatment has at least 5 years of practicing experience.

6. Control or comparator interventions

6a.) Rationale for the control or comparator in the context of the research question

Non-acupuncture control is used as a control, and prednisolone tablets are recommended in the guideline.

6b.) Precise description of the control or comparator

The prednisolone tablets control group forms a positive control and completes the evaluations during the 10th day after onset.