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Study results identify candidate gene expression correlates of successful PTSD treatment, providing guidelines for the design of further studies aimed at exploring the epigenetic effects of EFT.

Clinical EFT (emotional freedom techniques) combines fingertip stimulation of acupuncture points (acupressure) with elements drawn from cognitive and exposure therapies. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of EFT for depression, anxiety, phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other psychological conditions. The current study was designed to measure whether acupressure is an active ingredient in EFT, or whether its effects are due to its cognitive and exposure elements, or factors common to all therapies like sympathetic attention and belief in a positive outcome. In this study, 37 participants with "frozen shoulder" consisting of limited range of motion (ROM) and pain were randomized into a wait list, or 1 of 2 treatment groups. ROM, pain, and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression were assessed before and after a 30-min treatment session, and 30 days later. One treatment group received clinical EFT, while the other received all the elements of EFT but with diaphragmatic breathing (DB) substituted for acupressure. No statistically significant improvement (1 possibility in 20) in any psychological symptom was found in the wait list group. After treatment, participants in the both the EFT and DB groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in psychological symptoms and pain. Follow-up showed that both groups maintained their gains for pain, with EFT superior to DB, but only the EFT group maintained their gains for psychological symptoms. Statistically large EFT treatment effects were found for anxiety, pain, and depression. ROM changes were not statistically significant for most measures in any of the groups. The EFT group showed a significant association between reductions in psychological distress and pain. The results are consistent with 5 earlier studies showing that acupressure is an active ingredient in EFT treatment and not an inert ingredient or a placebo. The study adds further support to other clinical trials indicating that clinical EFT is an evidence-based and effective treatment for pain and psychological conditions.

Background Chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a potentially serious complication following treatment. Monitoring for progression to BCRL may allow for earlier detection and intervention, reducing the rate of progression to chronic BCRL. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the impact of monitoring techniques on the incidence of chronic BCRL among patients monitored by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and circumference as compared to background rates. Methods Eligible peer-reviewed studies from PubMed, CINHAL, or Google Scholar that were published in English from 2013 onward and conducted in North America, Europe, or Oceania. Incidence rates abstracted from studies were classified by BCRL monitoring method: background (no standardized BIS or circumference assessments), BIS or circumference. A random-effects model was used to calculate a pooled annualized estimate of BCRL incidence while accounting for clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses examined differences in duration of follow-up as well as breast and axillary surgery. Results 50 studies were included, representing over 67,000 women. The annualized incidence of BCRL was 4.9% (95% CI: 4.3–5.5) for background studies (n = 35), 1.5% (95% CI: 0.6–2.4) for BIS-monitored studies (n = 7), and 7.7% (95% CI: 5.6–9.8) for circumference-monitored studies (n = 11). The cumulative BCRL incidence rate in BIS-monitored patients was 3.1% as compared to 12.9% with background monitoring (69% reduction) and 17.0% with circumference-monitored patients (81% reduction). Conclusions Evidence suggests that monitoring with BIS allowing for early intervention significantly reduces the relative risk of chronic BCRL with a 69% and 81% reduction compared to background and circumference, respectively. Circumference monitoring did not appear to provide a benefit with respect to chronic BCRL incidence. Based on these results, BIS should be considered for BCRL screening in order to detect subclinical BCRL and reduce rates of chronic BCRL, particularly in high-risk patients.