Characterization of hidden rules linking symptoms and selection of acupoint using an artificial neural network model

Comprehension of the medical diagnoses of doctors and treatment of diseases is important to understand the underlying principle in selecting appropriate acupoints.The pattern recognition process that pertains to symptoms and diseases and informs acupuncture treatment in a clinical setting was explored. A total of 232 clinical records were collected using a Charting Language program. The relationship between symptom information and selected acupoints was trained using an artificial neural network (ANN). A total of 11 hidden nodes with the highest average precision score were selected through a tenfold cross-validation. Our ANN model could predict the selected acupoints based on symptom and disease information with an average precision score of 0.865 (precision, 0.911;recall, 0.811). This model is a useful tool for diagnostic classification or pattern recognition and for the prediction and modeling of acupuncture treatment based on clinical data obtained in a real-world setting. The relationship between symptoms and selected acupoints could be systematically characterized through knowledge discovery processes, such as pattern identification.

A survey on the real-world clinical utilization of a traditional acupuncture in Republic of Korea:Sa-am acupuncture

Objective This study investigated the clinical details and usage of Sa-am acupuncture in Korean medicine clinics and explored how practicing Korean medicine doctors(KMDs)think about Sa-am acupuncture.Methods We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of KMDs who utilize Sa-am acupuncture in their practice.The study comprehensively investigated issues related to clinical application of Sa-am acupuncture,needling techniques used during treatment,training methods,and directions for its future improvement.Results We analyzed 572 responses.An average of 50%of the patients visiting Korean medicine clinics were receiving Sa-am acupuncture.The most prevalent indication for Sa-am acupuncture use was digestive disorders.The patients’appetite level and digestive function were most frequently used indicators for selecting acupuncture points.Regarding prescription compositions,Jung-Gyuk formulas were more frequently used than Seung-Gyuk formulas.Inserting the needle along the flow of the channel or against the flow of the channel was most popular.The acupuncture style most frequently used in combination with Sa-am acupuncture was Ashi point acupuncture.Strengths of Sa-am acupuncture included its versatility,easy application,and good outcomes.Limitations included the lack of rigorous education and training programs,difficulty in applying the principles for beginners,and insufficient clinical research evidence.Conclusion In clinics where Sa-am acupuncture is available,KMDs were providing Sa-am acupuncture to about half of their patients.Practitioners were not using all of the tonification and sedation techniques which may be due to time constraints or simply a lack of necessity.Sa-am acupuncture demonstrated high utility in clinical practice and high satisfaction based on the efficacy and safety.More training programs and high-quality research are needed to help expand the use of Sa-am acupuncture.