Objective

2

To analyze and explore the acupoint selection rules of different staging

syndrome types

and symptoms of acupuncture for peripheral facial paralysis based on data mining.

Methods

2

Literature regarding acupuncture for peripheral facial paralysis was retrieved in CNKI

VIP

Wanfang

SinoMed

and PubMed from January 1

2012

to December 31

2021. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Assistant Platform (V 3.0)

SPSS Modeler 18.0

and Cytoscape software were used to analyze the selection of acupoints based on staging

meridian distribution of acupoints

the selection of acupoints based on syndrome types

syndrome types based on staging

and symptom-based acupoint selection. Association rule analysis was performed for each stage and major syndrome types

and co-occurrence network diagrams were generated.

Results

2

A total of 1 695 articles were included

involving 124 acupoints with a total frequency of 5 456 times. Among 1 080 articles related to staging-based acupoint selection

the acute stage had the highest acupoint use frequency (2 224 times) and number (88 acupoints). Among all stages

the acupoints of the stomach meridian of foot-

yangming

were most frequently used

with Dicang (ST 4)-Yangbai (GB 14) and Dicang (ST 4)-Jiache (ST 6) being the high-frequency acupoi

nt pairs in each stage. The top four syndrome types in terms of acupoint usage frequency were wind-cold syndrome

wind-heat syndrome

qi

-blood deficiency syndrome

and liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome. Among 521 articles combining staging with symptoms or syndrome types with symptoms for acupoint selection

the symptom "nasolabial groove becoming shallow or disappearing" had the highest frequency of occurrence. The symptoms with the highest acupoint usage frequency and number were "forehead wrinkles becoming shallow or disappearing" and "pain behind the ear" respectively.

Conclusion

2

Acupoint selection for peripheral facial paralysis primarily focuses on the

yang

meridians in each stage

supplemented by local acupoints and based on the pathological characteristics. Syndrome differentiation and treatment should be prioritized

combined with local acupoint selection. Clinical acupoint selection can be based on a combination of staging

syndrome types

and symptoms.