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This study aims to develop and validate a concise tool for evaluating acupuncture expectancy that is easy to understand and conforms to acupuncture characteristics. A draft was created using the Delphi consensus method. Reliability, validity, discrimination, and feasibility tests were conducted at the item and scale levels. The scale themes were defined as disease-related, treatment-related, process-related, and outcome-related. After two rounds of Delphi surveys with good experts' reliability (authority coefficients of experts were 0.86 and 0.87 in the two rounds) and agreement (Kendall's concordance coefficient of the participants were 0.33 and 0.15 in the two rounds, P < 0.05), 11 items (the mean score for item importance, full mark ratios, and coefficient of variation of items were ≥3.5, ≥25%, and ≤0.30, respectively) were included in the draft. A total of 145 individuals were recruited to test the draft. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's α coefficient (0.90), split-half reliability coefficient (0.89), and test–retest reliability (Pearson's coefficient = 0.74, P < 0.05). Content validity was assessed by the content validity index (Item-CVI ≥ 0.78 and Scale-CVI/Ave = 0.92), and a confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the construct validity. The discrimination of scale items was evaluated by the critical ratio (CR > 3.00) and the homogeneity test (item-total correlations >0.40). Feasibility was assessed through the acceptance rate (recovery rate = 98.60%, response rate = 100%), completion rate (100%), and completion time (4.99 ± 6.80 min). The patients' expectancy scale of acupuncture (PESA) consists of 11 items with four themes, disease-related, treatment-related, process-related, and outcome-related. It has great reliability, validity, discrimination, and feasibility and has the potential to evaluate acupuncture expectancy in clinical trials. • Both qualitative and quantitative research were used. • Four themes contained in patients' acupuncture expectancy were clarified. • A brief tool to evaluate acupuncture expectancy was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Moxibustion prevented the development of detrusor overactivity in SCI rats. • Moxibustion attenuated the expression of M2 muscarinic receptor subtype in the bladder of SCI rats. • The M2 receptor antagonist methoctramine hemihydrate mimics moxibustion-induced improvement of urodynamic parameters and afferent nerve activity, and the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine methiodide reverses the beneficial effect of moxibustion. • Moxibustion reduced the release of ATP and the expression of P2X3 in the M2 receptor-mediated micturition reflex pathway. Activation of muscarinic receptors located in bladder sensory pathways is generally considered to be the primary contributor for driving the pathogenesis of neurogenic detrusor overactivity following spinal cord injury. The present study is undertaken to examine whether moxibustion improves neurogenic detrusor overactivity via modulating the abnormal muscarinic receptor pathway. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to spinal cord injury with T9-10 spinal cord transection. Fourteen days later, animals were received moxibustion treatment for one week. Urodynamic parameters and pelvic afferents discharge were measured. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content in the voided cystometry fluid was determined. Expressions of M2, M3, and P2X3 receptors in the bladder mucosa were evaluated. Moxibustion treatment prevented the development of detrusor overactivity in spinal cord injury rats, with an increase in the intercontraction interval and micturition pressure threshold and a decrease in afferent activity during filling. The expression of M2 was markedly suppressed by moxibustion, accompanied by a reduction in the levels of ATP and P2X3. M2 receptor antagonist methoctramine hemihydrate had similar effects to moxibustion on bladder function and afferent activity, while the M2-preferential agonist oxotremorine methiodide abolished the beneficial effects of moxibustion. Moxibustion is a potential candidate for treating neurogenic bladder overactivity in a rat model of spinal cord injury, possibly through inhibiting the M2/ATP/P2X3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]