BACKGROUND Low anterior resection syndrome(LARS)is a prevalent and debilitating complication following sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer.Evidence-based interventions for the concurrent psychological burde...BACKGROUND Low anterior resection syndrome(LARS)is a prevalent and debilitating complication following sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer.Evidence-based interventions for the concurrent psychological burden are limited.Electroacupuncture has been proposed as a potential adjunctive therapy,but its psychological benefits remain inadequately studied.AIM To investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on emotional recovery and gastrointestinal function in patients with moderate to severe LARS,and to explore its potential advantages in psychologically vulnerable subgroups.METHODS We conducted a retrospective,controlled study involving 100 patients with moderate to severe LARS(LARS score≥21)treated at two tertiary hospitals in China between January 2022 and December 2024.Patients received either standard postoperative care alone(n=50)or in combination with a standardized 4-week electroacupuncture protocol(n=50).Psychological and functional outcomes were assessed using validated instruments including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),Body Image Scale(BIS),General Self-Efficacy Scale,Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS),LARS score,and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 at four time points.The primary endpoint was emotional remission,defined as a≥3-point reduction in HADS-Anxiety subscale(HADS-A).Analyses included repeated-measures comparisons,Kaplan-Meier survival curves,Cox regression models,and subgroup-interaction testing.RESULTS At baseline,demographic,surgical,and psychosocial characteristics were comparable among groups.By week 4,patients receiving electroacupuncture demonstrated significantly greater reductions in anxiety(HADS-A:4.8±2.6 vs 7.3±3.0;P<0.001),depression,and body-image disturbance(BIS:8.7±3.6 vs 11.9±4.2;P<0.001),alongside enhanced coping capacity(Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced),perceived social support(PSSS),and bowel function(LARS score).Emotional remission-defined as a≥3-point HADS-A reduction-was achieved more rapidly in the electroacupuncture group,as confirmed by Kaplan-Meier analysis(log-rank P<0.001;odds ratio=4.7).Multivariate Cox regression identified higher baseline LARS and BIS scores as independent predictors of delayed emotional recovery.Subgroup analyses revealed significantly amplified treatment benefits in patients with high baseline anxiety(HADS-A≥8),elevated body-image disturbance(BIS≥12),or low perceived social support(PSSS<60),with consistent interaction effects(P for interaction<0.05 across subgroups).CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture may accelerate emotional recovery and improve functional and psychosocial outcomes in patients with LARS.Its integration into postoperative care may offer particular benefits for psychologically vulnerable subgroups.展开更多
Introduction:Chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptom clusters in breast cancer impair quality of life and treatment adherence,yet lack effective interventions.While acupuncture mitigates isolated chemotherapy-in...Introduction:Chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptom clusters in breast cancer impair quality of life and treatment adherence,yet lack effective interventions.While acupuncture mitigates isolated chemotherapy-induced symptoms,its mechanisms for multi-symptom clusters remain unclear.This study evaluates electroacupuncture's efficacy and explores its biological mechanisms in managing these clusters.Methods:This prospective,multicenter,block-randomized,double-blind,sham-controlled trial will enroll 388 patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy,to be randomly assigned(1:1)to electroacupuncture or sham electro-acupuncture groups.Both groups will receive the standard quadruple antiemetic regimen combined with electroacupuncture or sham intervention.The primary endpoint is the incidence of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptom clusters within 120 h after chemotherapy.Secondary endpoints include improvement in gastrointestinal symptom clusters post-first chemotherapy cycle,nausea-free rates during acute and delayed phases,vomiting-free rates during overall,acute,and delayed phases,complete response rate,complete protection rate,and quality of life.Adverse events will be documented throughout the study.Discussion:This study will assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in alleviating chemotherapy-induced gastro-intestinal symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer.By integrating multi-omics analyses,we aim to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects.The findings may offer a robust clinical foundation for optimizing symptom cluster management in cancer care.Trial Registration:Clinical Trials ID:NCT06952920.Date of registration:April 16,2025.Prospectively registered.URL of Trial Registry Record:https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06952920cond=NCT06952920&rank=1.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Low anterior resection syndrome(LARS)is a prevalent and debilitating complication following sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer.Evidence-based interventions for the concurrent psychological burden are limited.Electroacupuncture has been proposed as a potential adjunctive therapy,but its psychological benefits remain inadequately studied.AIM To investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on emotional recovery and gastrointestinal function in patients with moderate to severe LARS,and to explore its potential advantages in psychologically vulnerable subgroups.METHODS We conducted a retrospective,controlled study involving 100 patients with moderate to severe LARS(LARS score≥21)treated at two tertiary hospitals in China between January 2022 and December 2024.Patients received either standard postoperative care alone(n=50)or in combination with a standardized 4-week electroacupuncture protocol(n=50).Psychological and functional outcomes were assessed using validated instruments including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),Body Image Scale(BIS),General Self-Efficacy Scale,Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS),LARS score,and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 at four time points.The primary endpoint was emotional remission,defined as a≥3-point reduction in HADS-Anxiety subscale(HADS-A).Analyses included repeated-measures comparisons,Kaplan-Meier survival curves,Cox regression models,and subgroup-interaction testing.RESULTS At baseline,demographic,surgical,and psychosocial characteristics were comparable among groups.By week 4,patients receiving electroacupuncture demonstrated significantly greater reductions in anxiety(HADS-A:4.8±2.6 vs 7.3±3.0;P<0.001),depression,and body-image disturbance(BIS:8.7±3.6 vs 11.9±4.2;P<0.001),alongside enhanced coping capacity(Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced),perceived social support(PSSS),and bowel function(LARS score).Emotional remission-defined as a≥3-point HADS-A reduction-was achieved more rapidly in the electroacupuncture group,as confirmed by Kaplan-Meier analysis(log-rank P<0.001;odds ratio=4.7).Multivariate Cox regression identified higher baseline LARS and BIS scores as independent predictors of delayed emotional recovery.Subgroup analyses revealed significantly amplified treatment benefits in patients with high baseline anxiety(HADS-A≥8),elevated body-image disturbance(BIS≥12),or low perceived social support(PSSS<60),with consistent interaction effects(P for interaction<0.05 across subgroups).CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture may accelerate emotional recovery and improve functional and psychosocial outcomes in patients with LARS.Its integration into postoperative care may offer particular benefits for psychologically vulnerable subgroups.
基金Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project,Grant/Award Numbers:2024ZD0521400,2024ZD0521404Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University。
文摘Introduction:Chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptom clusters in breast cancer impair quality of life and treatment adherence,yet lack effective interventions.While acupuncture mitigates isolated chemotherapy-induced symptoms,its mechanisms for multi-symptom clusters remain unclear.This study evaluates electroacupuncture's efficacy and explores its biological mechanisms in managing these clusters.Methods:This prospective,multicenter,block-randomized,double-blind,sham-controlled trial will enroll 388 patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy,to be randomly assigned(1:1)to electroacupuncture or sham electro-acupuncture groups.Both groups will receive the standard quadruple antiemetic regimen combined with electroacupuncture or sham intervention.The primary endpoint is the incidence of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptom clusters within 120 h after chemotherapy.Secondary endpoints include improvement in gastrointestinal symptom clusters post-first chemotherapy cycle,nausea-free rates during acute and delayed phases,vomiting-free rates during overall,acute,and delayed phases,complete response rate,complete protection rate,and quality of life.Adverse events will be documented throughout the study.Discussion:This study will assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in alleviating chemotherapy-induced gastro-intestinal symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer.By integrating multi-omics analyses,we aim to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects.The findings may offer a robust clinical foundation for optimizing symptom cluster management in cancer care.Trial Registration:Clinical Trials ID:NCT06952920.Date of registration:April 16,2025.Prospectively registered.URL of Trial Registry Record:https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06952920cond=NCT06952920&rank=1.
