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PubMed1988

Effects of electroacupuncture and gonadotropin-releasing hormone treatments on hormonal changes in anoestrous sows.

The therapeutic effects of acupuncture in treating reproductive disturbances of man and animals have been proven in the past and is used clinically already. However, the mechanism of such therapy is not known yet. In this study, anoestrous sows were used to investigate the mechanism. Anoestrous sows with luteal ovaries were allocated to three groups. Four sows received electroacupuncture treatment at Pai-Hui and Wei-Ken (acupuncture treated group; group 1). Three sows received electroacupuncture treatment at Chiang-Feng and Chou-Shu (acupuncture control group; group 2). Four received 50 micrograms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) intravenously (drug control group; group 3). The concentrations of luteinizing hormone, progesterone, oestradiol and cortisol in serum were measured by radioimmunoassay. Oestrus return was monitored during 14 days after treatment. At the end of this observation period, the number of animals returned to oestrus were 3, 1 and 1 in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It suggests that only treatment with acupuncture at Pai-Hui and Wei-Ken had therapeutic effects in inducing oestrus. This finding is further supported by the changes of serum sex hormone concentrations. Serum LH concentrations decreased for about 2 hours after electro-acupuncture treatment both in groups 1 and 2, whereas those in group 3 increased sharply at 10 minutes, reached to a peak at 20 minutes and returned gradually to basal level between 4 and 6 hours after GnRH injection. Serum progesterone concentrations rose between 4 to 6 hours after treatment in groups 1 and 3 but not in group 2. Five sows become oestrus, showed a decreased progesterone level 2 days after treatments whereas the other six anoestrous sows did not. Oestradiol levels did not have meaningful changes during the blood sampling period of 5 to 7 days in these 3 groups. Cortisol levels elevated in 15 minutes after the electroacupuncture in groups 1 and 2. However, the increment of cortisol induced by the electroacupuncture was less than that induced by the first bleeding, indicating that the adrenal stimulation may not be the main reason of the therapeutic action. The results indicated that the electroacupuncture treatment and GnRH injection could alter the release of LH from the pituitary in different ways but only electroacupuncture at Pai-Hui and Wei-Ken has a specific action on ovary and a significant therapeutic effect. Therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture on reproductive disturbance may involve a synergism of somatic-ovary and uterus reflex and central nervous-endocrine system (the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovary axis).

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2005

Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has been used by rehabilitation specialists as an adjunct therapy for the symptomatic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine where thin needles are inserted in specific documented points believed to represent concentration of body energies. In some cases a small electrical impulse is added to the needles. Once the needles are inserted in some of the appropriate points, endorphins, morphine-like substances, have been shown to be released in the patient's system, thus inducing local or generalised analgesia (pain relief). This review is an update of the original review published in July 2002. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture or electroacupuncture on the objective and subjective measures of disease activity in patients with RA. SEARCH STRATEGY: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro, Current Contents , Sports Discus and CINAHL, initially done in September 2001, was updated in May 2005. The Cochrane Field of Rehabilitation and Related Therapies and the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group were also contacted for a search of their specialized registries. Handsearching was conducted on all retrieved papers and content experts were contacted to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Comparative controlled studies, such as randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials in patients with RA were eligible. Trials published in languages other than French and English were not analyzed. Abstracts were excluded unless further data could be obtained from the authors. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers identified potential articles from the literature search and extracted data using pre-defined extraction forms. Consensus was reached on all the extracted data. Quality was assessed by two reviewers using a five point validated tool that measured the quality of randomization, double-blinding and description of withdrawals. MAIN RESULTS: After the updated searches were conducted, five further potential articles were identified; however, these did not meet the inclusion criteria. Two studies involving a total of 84 people were included. One study used acupuncture while the other used electroacupuncture. In the acupuncture study, no statistically significant difference was found between groups for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analogue scale for patient's global assessment (VAS G), number of swollen joints and tender joints, general health questionnaire (GHQ), modified disease activity scale (DAS) or for the decrease in analgesic intake. Although not statistically significant, pain in the treatment group improved by 4 points on a 0-100mm visual analogue scale versus no improvement in the placebo group. In the second study, using electroacupuncture, a significant decrease in knee pain was reported in the experimental group, 24 hours post treatment, when compared to the placebo group (WMD: -2.0 with 95% CI -3.6,-4.0). A significant decrease was found also at four months post-treatment (WMD -0.2, 95% CI: -0.36, -0.04) AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Although the results of the study on electroacupuncture show that electroacupuncture may be beneficial to reduce symptomatic knee pain in patients with RA 24 hours and 4 months post treatment, the reviewers concluded that the poor quality of the trial, including the small sample size preclude its recommendation. The reviewers further conclude that acupuncture has no effect on ESR, CRP, pain, patient's global assessment, number of swollen joints, number of tender joints, general health, disease activity and reduction of analgesics. These conclusions are limited by methodological considerations such as the type of acupuncture (acupuncture vs electroacupuncture), the site of intervention, the low number of clinical trials and the small sample size of the included studies.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2005

Effects of electroacupuncture versus manual acupuncture on the human brain as measured by fMRI.

The goal of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to compare the central effects of electroacupuncture at different frequencies with traditional Chinese manual acupuncture. Although not as time-tested as manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture does have the advantage of setting stimulation frequency and intensity objectively and quantifiably. Manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture at 2 Hz and 100 Hz, and tactile control stimulation were carried out at acupoint ST-36. Overall, electroacupuncture (particularly at low frequency) produced more widespread fMRI signal increase than manual acupuncture did, and all acupuncture stimulations produced more widespread responses than did our placebo-like tactile control stimulation. Acupuncture produced hemodynamic signal increase in the anterior insula, and decrease in limbic and paralimbic structures including the amygdala, anterior hippocampus, and the cortices of the subgenual and retrosplenial cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, frontal, and temporal poles, results not seen for tactile control stimulation. Only electroacupuncture produced significant signal increase in the anterior middle cingulate cortex, whereas 2-Hz electroacupuncture produced signal increase in the pontine raphe area. All forms of stimulation (acupuncture and control) produced signal increase in SII. These findings support a hypothesis that the limbic system is central to acupuncture effect regardless of specific acupuncture modality, although some differences do exist in the underlying neurobiologic mechanisms for these modalities, and may aid in optimizing their future usage in clinical applications.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2006

Electroacupuncture for refractory acute emesis caused by chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of electroacupuncture in preventing anthracycline-based chemotherapy-related nausea and emesis refractory to combination 5HT(3)-antagonist and dexamethasone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cancer patients with refractory emesis after their first cycle of doxorubicin-based chemotherapy were accrued into this study. Electroacupuncture was given during the second cycle of chemotherapy. Each patient was evaluated for the number of emetic episodes and grade of nausea within the first 24 hours after chemotherapy and electroacupuncture. RESULTS: Forty-seven of a total of 317 patients screened were eligible for this study. Of these, 27 patients agreed to participate. Twenty-six (26; 96.3%) of them had significant reduction in both nausea grade and episodes of vomiting after electroacupuncture. There was complete response with no emetic episodes in 37%. Subjectively, 25 (92.6%) of the total 27 patients believed that acupuncture was an acceptable procedure and was helpful in reducing emesis. Electroacupuncture was well-tolerated with a median pain score of 3 of 10. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture is well-tolerated and effective as an adjunct in reducing chemotherapy-related nausea and emesis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Electroacupuncture accelerates gastric emptying in association with changes in vagal activity.

Gastroparesis is a disorder with a lack of treatment options and this study investigated the effect of electroacupuncture on gastric emptying and involved mechanisms. Dogs implanted with a duodenal cannula and serosal electrodes were fed with Ensure mixed with phenol red, and the gastric effluent was collected. Electroacupuncture was performed from 30 min before until 45 min after the meal. Gastric myoelectrical activity and electrocardiogram were recorded. Gastric emptying was significantly improved with electroacupuncture. Vagal activity assessed from the spectral analysis of heart rate variability was markedly increased with electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture increased the regularity of gastric slow waves in both the proximal and distal stomach. It also increased the number of spike bursts in the distal but not proximal stomach. Electroacupuncture accelerates gastric emptying of liquid in dogs and its potential for treating gastroparesis may be explored. The effect may be attributed to improvement in gastric slow-wave rhythmicity and antral contractile (spike) activity and may possibly involve the vagal pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed2007

P-Stim auricular electroacupuncture stimulation device for pain relief.

Acupuncture is now accepted as a complementary analgesic treatment. Auricular acupuncture is a distinct form of acupuncture. Electrical stimulation of acupoints (electroacupuncture) increases the effects of acupuncture. Recently, an auricular electroacupuncture device, the P-Stim, has become available. Clinical studies in outpatients have investigated the P-Stim in chronic musculoskeletal pain and its use for minor surgery. In chronic cervical or low back pain, auricular electroacupuncture was more effective than conventional auricular acupuncture. The results in acute pain were controversial. Auricular electroacupuncture reduced pain and remifentanil consumption during oocyte aspiration when compared with conventional auricular acupuncture or a sham treatment. However, after third molar tooth extraction, auricular electroacupuncture and auricular acupuncture failed to reduce either postoperative pain or analgesic consumption. Further large-scale studies are required to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of auricular electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture, Ear↗
PubMed2000

Anti-hyperalgesic effect of electroacupuncture in a model of post-incisional pain in rats.

Electroacupuncture has been proposed to be a low cost and practical method that allows effective pain management with minimal collateral effects. In this study we have examined the effect of electroacupuncture against the hyperalgesia developed in a model of post-incisional pain in rats. A 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through the skin and fascia of the plantar region of the animal hind paw. Mechanical hyperalgesia in the incision was evaluated 135 min after the surgery with von Frey filaments. The tension threshold was reduced from 75 g (upper limit of the test) to 1.36 +/- 0.36 g (mean +/- SEM) in control rats. It is shown that a 15-min period of electroacupuncture applied 120 min after surgery to the Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) points, but not to non-acupoints, produces a significant and long-lasting reduction of the mechanical hyperalgesia induced by the surgical incision of the plantar surface of the ipsilateral hind paw. The tension threshold was reduced from 75 to 27.6 +/- 4.2 g in animals soon after the end of electroacupuncture. The mechanical threshold in this group was about 64% less than in control. Electroacupuncture was ineffective in rats treated 10 min earlier with naloxone (1 mg/kg, ip), thus confirming the involvement of opioid mechanisms in the antinociceptive effects of such procedure. The results indicate that post-incisional pain is a useful model for studying the anti-hyperalgesic properties of electroacupuncture in laboratory animals.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Comparative experimental study on treatment of rat's injured sciatic nerve with electroacupuncture and Buyang Huanwu Decoction].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the electroacupuncture and Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) on the regeneration of the rat's injured sciatic nerve. METHODS: Rat's sciatic nerve injury model was made by operation. The rats were treated with electroacupuncture or BYHWD and their nerve electro-physiological indices and histological changes tested by HRP were observed. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the recovery ratios of nerve conduction velocity and muscle evoked action potential of the group treated with electroacupuncture and the group treated with BYHWD were higher than those of the group treated with western medicine or the group without treatment. The differences were significant. The labeling cells in anterior horn of spinal marrow and spinal ganglion of the group treated with electroacupuncture and the group treated with BYHWD were more abundant than those of the group treated with western medicine or the group without treatment. The differences were significant. The effect of electroacupuncture was better than that of the BYHWD. CONCLUSION: It suggests that both electroacupuncture therapy and BYHWD can promote the recovery of the function in early stage of injured nerve, and they are effective methods for promoting the regeneration of injured peripheral nerve.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture therapy on damaged cholinergic neurons in rats with Alzheimer's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture therapy on damaged cholinergic neurons in hippocampus in aged rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Thirty six aged male rats were randomly divided into normal control group, sham-operated group, untreated group and electroacupuncture group. Animal model of AD was established with fimbria-fornix transection. The rats in the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture on Baihui (DU 20), Yongquan (KI 1), Taixi (KI 3) and Xuehai (SP10). The activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in septal area of brain was detected by radioimmunoassay, and the protein expressions of nerve growth factor (NGF) and c-fos in CA3 region of hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemical assay. RESULTS: The ChAT activity and the expression levels of NGF and c-fos proteins in the electroacupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture therapy can protect cholinergic neurons in hippocampus in aged rats with AD by means of promoting synthesis of c-fos protein and increasing the expression level of NGF.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed2005

[Study of music electroacupuncture].

OBJECTIVE: To explore characteristics and advantages of music electroacupuncture instrument. METHODS: Investigate clinical therapeutic effect and action mechanisms of the music electroacupuncture instrument, the relation of music therapy with improving looks and genes, and the links of music therapy with theories on 14 channels to prove its characteristics and advantages. CONCLUSION: Music electroacupuncture can overcome the decline of late therapeutic effects of pulse electroacupuncture and its disadvantages, beat of the local tissue of electroacupuncture. It is a generation of electroacupuncture of a new type.

Electroacupuncture↗
PubMed2005

[Clinical observation on double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture for treatment of facial paralysis].

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical therapeutic effects of double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture. and simple electroacupuncture on facial paralysis. METHODS: Eighty-seven cases of facial paralysis were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 47) treated by double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture, and a control group (n = 40) treated by simple electroacupuncture. Their therapeutic effects were investigated after 30 days. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 100.0% in treatment group and 87.5% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Double moxibustion at Yifeng (TE 17) combined with electroacupuncture in clinical therapeutic effect on peripheral facial paralysis is superior to simple electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2005

[Effect of electroacupuncture on hemodynamics at peri-intratracheal intubation period under general anesthesia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe effect of electroacupuncture on hemodynamics at peri-intratracheal intubation period under general anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty cases at peri-intratracheal intubation period under general anesthesia were randomly divided into electroacupuncture group [Before anesthesia induction, electroacupuncture stimulation was given at Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Shenmen (HT 7)], and control group, 30 cases in each group. All the patients in the two groups received intratracheal intubation with light-guide laryngoscopy under general anesthesia with midazolam, fentanyl, isopropyl, succinylcholine, etc.; changes of various indexes of hemodynamics were detected at anesthesia induction and different time points of the intubation. RESULTS: At the anesthesia induction, various indexes of hemodynamics in the electroacupuncture group were relatively stable, and decreased significantly in the control group (P < 0.01); during intratracheal intubation, the various indexes in the electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05) and in the control group (P < 0.01) increased significantly as compared with those before anesthesia induction; 5 min after intubation, the various indexes in both the two groups restored normal. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and other points can stabilize changes of hemodynamics at the intratracheal intubation and increase safety of operation under anesthesia.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed1992

All three types of opioid receptors in the spinal cord are important for 2/15 Hz electroacupuncture analgesia.

The analgesic effect induced by 2/15 Hz electroacupuncture as shown by the increase in tail flick latency decreased steadily as electroacupuncture stimulation was given continuously for 6 h, showing the development of tolerance to electroacupuncture analgesia. These rats were then given an intrathecal (i.t.) injection of one of the following opioid agonists: the mu agonist, ohmefentanyl 7.5, 15 and 30 pmol, 10 min apart; the delta agonist, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE) 5, 10 and 20 nmol, 10 min apart and the kappa agonist, dynorphin-(1-13) 2.5, 5 and 10 nmol, 10 min apart, respectively. The analgesic effect induced by ohmefentanyl, DPDPE or dynorphin was dramatically reduced in rats rendered tolerant to 2/15 Hz electroacupuncture analgesia. Rats were injected i.t. with one of the three specific opioid antagonists: the mu antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) (5, 10 and 20 nmol), the delta antagonist, ICI174,864 (1, 2 and 4 nmol) and the kappa antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) (3.125, 6.25 and 12.5 nmol). It was found that analgesia induced by 2/15 Hz electroacupuncture stimulation was significantly and almost totally blocked by any one of the three opioid antagonists. These results suggest that all three types of opioid receptors, the mu, delta and kappa receptors in the spinal cord of the rat play important roles in mediating analgesia induced by electroacupuncture of 2/15 Hz.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed2000

Electroacupuncture for control of myeloablative chemotherapy-induced emesis: A randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: High-dose chemotherapy poses considerable challenges to emesis management. Although prior studies suggest that acupuncture may reduce nausea and emesis, it is unclear whether such benefit comes from the nonspecific effects of attention and clinician-patient interaction. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of electroacupuncture vs minimal needling and mock electrical stimulation or antiemetic medications alone in controlling emesis among patients undergoing a highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimen. DESIGN: Three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial conducted from March 1996 to December 1997, with a 5-day study period and a 9-day follow-up. SETTING: Oncology center at a university medical center. PATIENTS: One hundred four women (mean age, 46 years) with high-risk breast cancer. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive low-frequency electroacupuncture at classic antiemetic acupuncture points once daily for 5 days (n = 37); minimal needling at control points with mock electrostimulation on the same schedule (n = 33); or no adjunct needling (n = 34). All patients received concurrent triple antiemetic pharmacotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and carmustine). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total number of emesis episodes occurring during the 5-day study period and the proportion of emesis-free days, compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: The number of emesis episodes occurring during the 5 days was lower for patients receiving electroacupuncture compared with those receiving minimal needling or pharmacotherapy alone (median number of episodes, 5, 10, and 15, respectively; P<.001). The electroacupuncture group had fewer episodes of emesis than the minimal needling group (P<.001), whereas the minimal needling group had fewer episodes of emesis than the antiemetic pharmacotherapy alone group (P =.01). The differences among groups were not significant during the 9-day follow-up period (P =.18). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of patients with breast cancer receiving high-dose chemotherapy, adjunct electroacupuncture was more effective in controlling emesis than minimal needling or antiemetic pharmacotherapy alone, although the observed effect had limited duration. JAMA. 2000;284:2755-2761.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2002

Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of RA.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has been used by rehabilitation specialists as an adjunct therapy for the symptomatic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine where thin needles are inserted in specific documented points believed to represent concentration of body energies. In some cases a small electrical impulse is added to the needles. Once the needles are inserted in some of the appropriate points, endorphins, morphine-like substances, have been shown to be released in the patient's system, thus inducing local or generalised analgesia. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture or electroacupuncture on the objective and subjective measures of disease activity in patients with RA. SEARCH STRATEGY: A comprehensive search was done up to September 2001 with MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro, Current Contents, Sports Discus and CINAHL. The Cochrane Field of Rehabilitation and Related Therapies and the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group were also contacted for a search of their specialized registers. Handsearching was conducted on all retrieved papers and content experts were contacted to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Comparative controlled studies, such as randomized controlled trials and control clinical trials in patients with RA were eligible. No language restrictions were applied. Abstracts were accepted. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers identified potential articles from the literature search. These reviewers extracted data using pre-defined extraction forms. Consensus was reached on all the extracted data. Quality was assessed by two reviewers using a five (5) point validated tool that measured the quality of randomization, double-blinding and description of withdrawals. MAIN RESULTS: Two studies (n=84) met the inclusion criteria. One used acupuncture (~~David 1999~~) while the other used electroacupuncture (~~Man 1974~~). In the first study using acupuncture, no significant difference was found between groups for to erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), the visual analogue scale for pain (VAS P), the visual analogue scale for patient's global assessment (VAS G), the number of swollen joints, the number of tender joints, to the general health questionnaire (GHQ), the score on the modified disease activity scale (DAS) or in the decrease in analgesic intake. In the second study, using electroacupuncture, a significant decrease in knee pain was reported in the experimental group, 24 hours post treatment, when compared to the placebo group (weighted mean difference of -2.0 with 95% CI -3.6,-4.0). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Although the results of the ~~Man 1974~~ study show that electroacupuncture may be beneficial to reduce symptomatic knee pain in patients with RA 24 hours post treatment, the reviewers concluded that the poor quality of the trial, including the small sample size proclude its recommendation. The reviewers further conclude that acupuncture has no effect on ESR, CRP, pain, patient's global assessment, number of swollen joints, number of tender joints, general health, disease activity and reduction of analgesics. These conclusions are limited by methodological considerations such as the type of acupuncture (acupuncture vs electroacupuncture), the site of intervention, the low number of clinical trials and the small sample size of the included studies.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2000

Electroacupuncture potentiates the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal endomorphin-1 in the rat formalin test.

Endomorphin-1 is a novel endogenous mu-opioid peptide. In this study, we examined the effects of 2 Hz electroacupuncture in the rat tail flick test and the formalin test (a persistent noxious model). Moreover, we investigated if the electroacupuncture potentiated the effect of intrathecal endomorphin-1. The results demonstrated that electroacupuncture alone produced a significant antinociception in the tail flick test, but not in the formalin test, and that intrathecal endomorphin-1 dose-dependently suppressed the biphasic nociceptive behavior in the formalin test. Electroacupuncture enhanced the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal endomorphin-1 in the formalin test, resulting in a significant leftward shift in the dose-response curves for intrathecal endomorphin-1 antinociception. The enhanced effect was antagonized by intraperitoneal naltrexone. The study suggests that electroacupuncture may potentiate the intrathecal endomorphin-1 antinociception partially mediated by opioid receptors.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed2005

Effects of electroacupuncture in reducing weight and waist circumference in obese women: a randomized crossover trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of weight control on simple obese women between electroacupuncture and sit-up exercise. DESIGN: Randomized and crossover trial conducted from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002. The subjects were randomly divided into groups A and B. Group A received electroacupuncture treatment first while group B received sit-up exercise treatment first. After 6 weeks of treatment and 7 days of washout, group A switched to sit-up exercise treatment and group B received electroacupuncture treatment for another 6 weeks. PATIENTS: In total, 54 simple obese women, with waist circumference (WC)>90 cm and body mass index (BMI)>30 kg/m(2), and who had not received any other weight control maneuver within the last 3 months. MEASUREMENT: The measurements of body weight (BW), BMI and WC were performed at the beginning, 6, 8 and 13 weeks. The data at different time periods were compared and expressed as % reductions. RESULTS: Electroacupuncture (n=46) showed significant differences in the % reductions in BW (P=0.001), BMI (P=0.003) and WC (P=0.005) compared with sit-up exercise. At the end of 13 weeks, there were no significant difference between groups A (n=24) and B (n=22) in all the measurements. At the end of the study, groups A and B showed significant differences in the % reductions in BW (P=0.004; 0.001), BMI (P=0.003; 0.021) and WC (P< or =0.001; 0.001) compared with the initial values. CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture treatment is more effective than sit-up exercise in reducing weight and WC, making it an alternative treatment option for weight and WC control on obese women.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Electroacupuncture for tension-type headache on distal acupoints only: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of electroacupuncture, applied to distal acupoints only, for tension-type headache. BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture is commonly used for tension-type headache, but when applied to distal acupoints only, evidence of its efficacy is lacking. DESIGN: A randomized, single-blinded, sham-controlled, crossover clinical trial. Methods.-The trial had 5 stages: baseline (2 weeks), phases I and II (each 4 weeks), washout period (2 weeks), and follow-up (3 months after phase II). Forty patients were randomly assigned to either group A or group B. Group A received real electroacupuncture during phase I, then sham electroacupuncture in phase II. Group B received the treatments in reverse order. Outcome measures were headache frequency and duration, pain intensity using a visual analog scale, mechanical pain threshold, headache disability, and sickness impact. Data were analyzed by univariate 2-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients completed the trial. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups at baseline. At the end of phase I, group A, but not group B, demonstrated significant improvement in mean (standard error of the mean [SEM]) headache frequency (3.0 per month [0.3] versus 12.0 per month [1.7]), duration (13.3 hours [3.5] versus 32.0 hours [6.2]), pain intensity (32.8 mm [4.1] versus 47.5 mm [2.7]), pain threshold (right side, 2.9 kg/second [0.1] versus 0.9 kg/second [0.1]; left side, 2.4 kg/second [0.1] versus 1.1 kg/second [0.1]), headache disability score (6.0 [1.0] versus 16.3 [1.6]), and sickness impact score (288.7 [48.0] versus 687.1 [77.2]). For each parameter, significant differences also were demonstrated for both groups between baseline and phase II, and baseline and follow-up. There were no significant differences between the groups at the end of follow-up (P >.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture to distal points alone is effective for short-term symptomatic relief of tension-type headache.

Acupuncture Points↗