Objective: To investigate the application characteristics of electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, so as to provide a basis for clinical use of EA therapy.
Methods: Keywords of "electroacupuncture""peripheral neuropathy" "facial paralysis" "trigeminal neuralgia" "sciatica" "common peroneal nerve injury" "diabetic peripheral neuropathy" "intercostal neuralgia" "gluteal epithelial neuritis" "ulnar nerve injury" "median nerve paralysis" "postherpetic neuralgia", and "great occipital neuralgia" were used to search articles in both English and Chinese published from 1999 to 2019 in databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, Ovid, PubMed and Embase and related books such as electroacupuncture, and neurology, followed by establishing a database of "Electroacupuncture Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy". Then, the collected articles were put into statistical analysis after sorting, screening, input, checking, and data extracting by using data mining technology and statistical software EpiData.
Results: Of the searched 1 528 papers, 778 were eligible, involving 13 types of peripheral neuropathy which the facial paralysis and facial spasm were most frequently seen, followed by trigeminal neuralgia and sciatica, with an effective rate being above 90% for nearly all the 13 diseases. The acupoints employed were chiefly those close to the affected area and distribute along the nerve trunk.In addition, about the needling techniques, the penetration needling was frequently used, and the triple needling, quintuple needling and accompanied needling were also used. Regarding the related needle manipulations, the uniform reinforcing-reduction technique was most frequently used. The duration of EA was 30 min, with a highest stimulating frequency of 50 Hz. The acupoint injection was frequently supplemented, followed by moxibustion, and the treatment sessions were usually about 30 times.
Conclusion: EA therapy is frequently used in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, and has some characteristics in acupoint selection, stimulating parameters and some additional needling techniques.
目的：通过挖掘电针疗法在周围神经病临床治疗中的应用特点，为临床运用电针治疗周围神经病提供依据。方法：以“电针”和“面神经麻痹”“面肌痉挛”“三叉神经痛”“坐骨神经痛”“腓总神经麻痹”“糖尿病周围神经病变”“桡神经麻痹”“臀上皮神经炎”“尺神经损伤”“肋间神经痛”“正中神经麻痹”“带状疱疹后遗神经痛”“枕大神经痛”为检索词，检索中国期刊全文数据库(CNKI)、万方数据库(Wanfang)、维普数据库(VIP)、中国生物医学文献数据库(CBM)、Ovid、PubMed、Embase 1999年至2019年的电针治疗周围神经病的中文文献和英文文献，查阅电针、神经病学等相关书籍，建立电针治疗周围神经病的数据库，运用数据挖掘技术以及统计软件EpiData，对收集的文献进行整理、筛选、录入、审核、提取数据、统计分析。结果：纳入文献共涉及13种疾病，以面神经麻痹及面肌痉挛篇数最多，其次为坐骨神经痛、三叉神经痛，电针治疗此类疾病的有效率在90%以上。电针治疗周围神经病的选穴特点以近部选穴加沿神经干走行和分布选穴为主；针刺手法以透刺使用最广泛，同时涉及齐刺、扬刺、傍刺等不同手法；补泻手法中平补平泻频次最高；电针治疗时间多为30 min，频率以50 Hz频次最高；配合疗法中多选穴位注射，同时涉及艾灸法等多种疗法；治疗周期多为30次。结论：电针疗法在临床上治疗周围神经病的病种比较广泛，其选穴部位、选穴原则、针刺手法、电针治疗频次与周期、电针参数以及配合疗法具有一定特点，可为电针治疗周围神经病的临床教学与科研提供借鉴。.
Keywords: Clinical application characteristic; Data mining; Electroacupuncture; Peripheral neuropathy.