This week's Medline Abstracts on Acupuncture

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See:

 

Tai CJ, Chang CP, Huang CY, Chien LY. Efficacy of sanfujiu to treat

allergies: patient outcomes at 1 year after treatment. Evid Based

Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Jun;4(2):241-6. Epub 2006 Nov 24.

Department of Traditional , Taipei Medical University

Hospital, Department of Medicine, Taipei Medical University and Institute of

Community Health Nursing, National Yang-Ming University Taipei, Taiwan.

Sanfujiu is a treatment method of applying herbal paste onto the acupoints

BL12-Fengmen and BL13-Feishu during the three hottest days of summer to

treat patients with allergies. The objectives of this study were to determine

the treatment efficacy at 1 year after the Sanfujiu treatment, and examine

variations in the perceived efficacy of Sanfujiu among different subgroups,

based on the patients' ages, diagnoses and number of reactive symptoms

immediately after the treatment. We enrolled 105 patients who completed

Sanfujiu treatment at a medical university hospital in Taipei as the subjects.

One year after treatment, trained interviewers conducted telephone

interviews with the patients. Approximately 60% of them perceived the

treatment as being effective at 1 year later, which was higher than that at 1

week after treatment (45.7%). Younger subjects (<19 years of age) and

patients with asthma were more likely to report the treatment as being

effective. Patients who had more reactive symptoms after the third Sanfujiu

treatment were more likely to report the treatment as being effective. The

results demonstrated that Sanfujiu was moderately effective, as perceived

by patients in Taiwan, in treating their allergic symptoms. PMID: 17549242

[PubMed - in process]

 

Yu J, Liu Q, Wang YQ, Wang J, Li XY, Cao XD, Wu GC.

Electroacupuncture combined with clomipramine enhances antidepressant

effect in rodents. Neurosci Lett. 2007 Feb 24; [Epub ahead of print].

Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institute of

Acupuncture Research (WHO Collaborating Center for Traditional

Medicine), Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032,

China. The present study was designed to evaluate the antidepressant

effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and the potential additive or synergistic

effects of EA and clomipramine (CLO, a tricyclic antidepressant) in the

mouse forced swimming test (FST) and chronic mild stress (CMS) induced

depression-model rats. The FST is an antidepressant screening procedure

performed initially to observe the immediate effects of EA and/or CLO on the

immobility time. CLO (2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 60mg/kg intraperitoneally) were

administered at 23, 6 and 1h respectively prior to each test. EA was given at

the 'Bai-Hui' (Du 20) and unilateral 'An-Mian' (EX 17) acupoints 1h before

each test. Immobility time was significantly reduced by EA and CLO at 2.5,

5, 10, 20 or 60mg/kg, respectively. EA combined with 2.5mg/kg CLO

exhibited additive effects on the immobility time. In addition, rats were

exposed chronically (1st-11th week) to a variety of mild unpredictable

stressors. Depressed mood and anhedonia were recognized as a decrease

in sucrose intake in the CMS rats. CLO at 2.5, 5mg/kg and EA at the same

acupoints and parameters were administrated on the CMS rats once every

other day for 6 weeks (5th-11th week). The intake of 1% sucrose solution

was reduced by CMS, which was restored to normal level after 6 weeks

treatment with 5mg/kg CLO or EA combined with 2.5mg/kg CLO. However,

neither the sucrose intake nor the sucrose preference in the depressive rats

was significantly changed by the treatment with EA or 2.5mg/kg CLO alone.

These results demonstrated that EA combined with CLO at low doses has

an additive or synergistic antidepressant action, and this combination may

provide an effective strategy for depression management. PMID: 17548153

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

So RC, Ng JK, Ng GY. Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint

stimulation on fatigue recovery of the quadriceps. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007

Jun 2; [Epub ahead of print]. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The

Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Sports Science Deparment, Hong

Kong Sports Institute, 25 Yuen Wo Road, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China,

raymonds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of

transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at selected acupoints

on enhancing the rate of muscle force recovery after strenuous knee

extension/flexion exercise. Ten male and seven female healthy young adults

participated in this study in which they performed isokinetic knee fatigue

exercise on the Biodex System 3 ergometer on three separate days. After

the familiarization trial on day 1, subjects underwent 15 min of either TEAS

or pseudo-TEAS recovery treatment after the isokinetic exercise in the

following two trials on days 2 and 3, respectively. The TEAS treatment was

applied on four selected acupoints [Zusanli (ST36), Chenshan (BL57),

Yanglingquan (GB34) and Sanyinjiao (SP6)] while the pseudo-TEAS

treatment was applied to the points away from the true acupoints. Isometric

knee extension peak torque was measured before and immediately after the

test exercise, and again during the 15-min recovery period at 5-min

intervals. Blood lactate and median power frequency (MF) of the vastus

medialis, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris were also measured at the

same time points. The results indicated that the TEAS treatment was

significantly more effective than the pseudo-TEAS treatment in enhancing

the rate of muscle force recovery (knee extension peak torque recovery after

15 min, from 155 to 195 Nm in TEAS group and from 155 to 182 Nm in the

pseudo-TEAS group), but had no effect on lactate removal and MF

restitution rate. It is proposed that pain control is a plausible mechanism to

explain the benefit of TEAS treatment. As TEAS is a non-invasive and

simple treatment, it is feasible to apply it during and immediately after

training. PMID: 17546460 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

Hughes JG, Goldbart J, Fairhurst E, Knowles K. Exploring acupuncturists'

perceptions of treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Complement Ther

Med. 2007 Jun;15(2):101-8. Epub 2006 Nov 3. Division of Primary Care,

University of Liverpool, Whelan Building, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 3GB,

UK. AIMS: To outline acupuncturists' perceptions of treating patients with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA), exploring the impact of practitioner affiliation to a

traditional or western theoretical base. METHODS: Qualitative study utilising

Grounded Theory Method. Nineteen acupuncturists were chosen via

theoretical sampling. In-depth semi-structured interviews were tape-

recorded and transcribed. Field notes were also taken. Emerging categories

and themes were identified. RESULTS: Inter-affiliatory differences were

identified in the treatments administered and the scope and emphasis of

intended therapeutic effects. Limited divergence was found between

acupuncturists' perceptions of treatment outcomes. Factors perceived as

impacting on treatment outcomes were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical

trials of acupuncture in RA may have failed to administer a treatment which

reflects that administered in clinical practice. Outcome measures employed

in clinical trials of acupuncture in RA, as well as established outcome indices

for RA, may lack the necessary breadth to accurately assess acupuncture's

efficacy. Acupuncturist affiliation has demonstrable implications for the

practice and research of acupuncture. PMID: 17544860 [PubMed - in

process]

 

Macpherson H, Schroer S. Acupuncture as a complex intervention for

depression: A consensus method to develop a standardised treatment

protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2007

Jun;15(2):92-100. Epub 2006 Dec 11. Department of Health Sciences,

University of York, United Kingdom; Foundation for Traditional Chinese

Medicine, York, United Kingdom. OBJECTIVE: To standardise a complex

intervention by defining the characteristic (specific) components of treatment

for a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture as an intervention for

individuals who have been diagnosed with depression using a consensus

method. METHODS: A nominal group technique was used. Potential

components of the acupuncture intervention were generated from the

literature, experts and participants. These were categorised as constant or

variable, the latter including active management techniques (such as

providing relevant explanations), auxiliary techniques (such as auricular

acupuncture), and other aspects of patient care (such as offering life-style

and dietary advice), all of which were underpinned by defined theoretical

frameworks. Participants were selected on the basis of their experience and

training, to encompass a diverse range of styles of traditional acupuncture

practice in the UK, and all rated components in two rounds. RESULTS:

Fifteen practitioners rated 52 variable components in the first round and 55

in the second. There was group support for 16 active management

components, three auxiliary techniques and five areas of life-style support,

all driven by eight theoretical diagnostic and treatment frameworks. For the

39 components that were rated twice, group support increased between

rounds from 75 to 79% (z=-2.2, p=0.03), while the absolute average

deviation from the median dropped from 1.04 to 0.83 (z=-2.5, p=0.011).

CONCLUSION: Standardising the characteristic components of a complex

intervention for a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture for depression

using a consensus approach is feasible. The method can be generalised to

other clinical situations and other treatment modalities. PMID: 17544859

[PubMed - in process]

 

Cheung LC, Jones AY. Effect of Acu-TENS on recovery heart rate after

treadmill running exercise in subjects with normal health. Complement Ther

Med. 2007 Jun;15(2):109-14. Epub 2006 Oct 27. Department of

Physiotherapy, Alice Ho Mui Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effect of transcutaneous

electrical nerve stimulation, applied at bilateral acupuncture points PC6

(Acu-TENS), on recovery heart rate (HR) in healthy subjects after treadmill

running exercise. DESIGN: A single blinded, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Laboratory with healthy male subjects (n=28). INTERVENTIONS:

Each subject participated in three separate protocols in random order.

PROTOCOL A: The subject followed the Bruce protocol and ran on a

treadmill until their HR reached 70% of their maximum (220-age). At this

'target' HR, the subject adopted the supine position and Acu-TENS to

bilateral PC6 was commenced. PROTOCOL B: Identical to protocol A

except that Acu-TENS was applied in the supine position for 45min prior to,

but not after exercise. PROTOCOL C: Identical to protocol A except that

placebo Acu-TENS was applied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heart rate

was recorded before and at 30s intervals after exercise until it returned to

the pre-exercise baseline. The time for HR to return to baseline was

compared for each protocol. RESULTS: Acu-TENS applied to bilateral PC6

resulted in a faster return to pre-exercise HR compared to placebo. Time

required for HR to return to pre-exercise level in protocols A-C was 5.5+/-

3.0; 4.8+/-3.3; 9.4+/-3.7min, respectively (p<0.001). There was no statistical

difference in HR recovery time between protocols A and B. Subjects

expressed the lowest rate of perceived exertion score (RPE) at 70%

maximum HR with protocol B. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Acu-

TENS applied to PC6 may facilitate HR recovery after high intensity treadmill

exercise. PMID: 17544861 [PubMed - in process]

 

Wang J, Dong WR, Wang CL, Yao DW, Zhao BL, Shen BL, Yang LL, Yuan

L. [From meridians and acupoints to self-supervision and control system: a

hypothesis of the 10th functional system based on anatomical studies of

digitized virtual human.] [Article in Chinese] Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue

Bao. 2007 May;27(5):573-9. Department of Anatomy, 2Department of

Embryology and Histology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou

510515, China. E-mail: whmzyq. Chinese acupuncture and

moxibustion has been widely accepted as a useful therapeutics all over the

world, but its mechanism has not been fully defined. For this purpose, a

reticular framework of whole-body fascia and connective tissues has been

established by means of digitized virtual human technique. The virtual

acupoints represented three-dimensionally were compared with the sites for

stimulation in practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture

therapy. The results showed that the fascial network constituted by the

connective tissues may be the anatomical basis for acupuncture therapy.

We found that the acupoints were mainly located where thick connective

tissues were present. In this fascial network, sensitive nerve endings, active

cells and lymphatic vessels abounded in the sites with thick connective

tissue, and needling at these sites induced definite biological effects. In

light

of biological phylogeny and embryo development, we believe that the

connective tissue network may constitute a new functional system in the

human body, the Self-supervision and control system (Fasciology), which

provides a theoretical base for acupuncture therapy. PMID: 17545059

[PubMed - in process]

 

Flachskampf FA, Gallasch J, Gefeller O, Gan J, Mao J, Pfahlberg AB,

Wortmann A, Klinghammer L, Pflederer W, Daniel WG. Randomized Trial of

Acupuncture to Lower Blood Pressure. Circulation. 2007 Jun 4; [Epub ahead

of print]. Med Klinik 2. BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension is a prime

cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population. Pharmacological

treatment has limitations resulting from drug side effects, costs, and patient

compliance. Thus, we investigated whether traditional Chinese medicine

acupuncture is able to lower blood pressure. METHODS AND RESULTS:

We randomized 160 outpatients (age, 58+/-8 years; 78 men) with

uncomplicated arterial hypertension in a single-blind fashion to a 6-week

course of active acupuncture or sham acupuncture (22 sessions of 30

minutes' duration). Seventy-eight percent were receiving antihypertensive

medication, which remained unchanged. Primary outcome parameters were

mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure levels after the treatment course

and 3 and 6 months later. One hundred forty patients finished the treatment

course (72 with active treatment, 68 with sham treatment). There was a

significant (P<0.001) difference in posttreatment blood pressures adjusted

for baseline values between the active and sham acupuncture groups at the

end of treatment. For the primary outcome, the difference between

treatment groups amounted to 6.4 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.5 to 9.2) and 3.7 mm

Hg (95% CI, 1.6 to 5.8) for 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressures,

respectively. In the active acupuncture group, mean 24-hour ambulatory

systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly after treatment

by 5.4 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.2 to 7.6) and 3.0 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.5 to 4.6),

respectively. At 3 and 6 months, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures

returned to pretreatment levels in the active treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture according to traditional Chinese medicine,

but not sham acupuncture, after 6 weeks of treatment significantly lowered

mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures; the effect disappeared after

cessation of acupuncture treatment. PMID: 17548730 [PubMed - as

supplied by publisher]

 

Langevin HM, Rizzo DM, Fox JR, Badger GJ, Wu J, Konofagou EE,

Stevens-Tuttle D, Bouffard NA, Krag MH. Dynamic morphqiancengtaometric

characterization of local connective tissue network structure in humans

using ultrasound. BMC Syst Biol. 2007 Jun 5;1(1):25 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: In humans, connective tissue forms a complex,

interconnected network throughout the body that may have

mechanosensory, regulatory and signaling functions. Understanding these

potentially important phenomena requires non-invasive measurements of

collagen network structure that can be performed in live animals or humans.

The goals of this study were to establish that 1) ultrasound images

accurately represent connective tissue architecture and 2) ultrasound can be

used to quantify dynamic changes in local connective tissue structure in

vivo. We performed ultrasound and histology examinations of the same

tissue in two subjects undergoing surgery: in one subject, we examined the

relationship of ultrasound to histological images in three dimensions; in the

other, we examined the effect of a localized tissue perturbation using a

previously developed robotic acupuncture needling technique. In ten

additional non-surgical subjects, we quantified changes in tissue spatial

organization over time during needle rotation vs. no rotation using ultrasound

and semi-variogram analyses. RESULTS: 3-D renditions of ultrasound

images showed longitudinal echogenic sheets that matched with

collagenous sheets seen in histological preparations. Rank correlations

between serial 2-D ultrasound and corresponding histology images resulted

in high positive correlations for semi-variogram ranges computed parallel

(r=0.79, p<0.001) and perpendicular (r=0.63, p<0.001) to the surface of the

skin, indicating concordance in spatial structure between the two data sets.

Needle rotation caused tissue displacement in the area surrounding the

needle that was mapped spatially with ultrasound elastography and

corresponded to collagen bundles winding around the needle on histological

sections. In semi-variograms corresponding to each ultrasound frame, the

shape of the semi-variogram curve changed markedly across successive

frames during needle rotation but not in the absence of rotation. The

direction of this change was heterogeneous across subjects. However, the

frame-to-frame variability was 10-fold (p<0.001) greater with rotation than

with no rotation indicating changes in tissue structure during rotation.

CONCLUSION: The combination of ultrasound and semi-variogram

analyses allows quantitative assessment of dynamic changes in the

structure of human connective tissue in vivo. PMID: 17550618 [PubMed - as

supplied by publisher]

 

Kim MS, Seo KM. Effects of Atipamezole and Naloxone on

Electroencephalographic Spectral Edge Frequency 95 in Dogs Sedated by

Acupuncture at GV20 and Yintang Point. J Vet Med Sci. 2007

May;69(5):577-9. Biomedical Physics Laboratory, School of Physics, Seoul

National University. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the

antagonism of acupuncture-induced sedation by electroencephalographic

spectral edge frequency (SEF) 95 in 10 healthy intact male Miniature

Schnauzer dogs (4.2-6.1kg; 2-3 years old) without neurological disorder.

The GV20 and Yintang acupoints were administered for 20 min. While the

dogs were conscious, SEF 95 baseline values were recorded at 2-min

intervals for 4 min. Then acupuncture was administered at the GV20 and

Yintang acupoints. During the acupuncture procedure, the SEF 95 values

were recorded at 2-min intervals for 10 min. Subsequently, antagonist drugs,

naloxone and atipamezole, were administered through the cephalic vein.

The SEF 95 values were then measured again at 2-min intervals for 10 min.

Those values were found to be significantly increased after administration of

atipamezole in dogs sedated by acupuncture at the GV20 and Yintang

acupoints (p<0.05). However, the SEF 95 values in the naloxone groups did

not show any significant changes before and after administration of the

antagonist. It was concluded that sedation induced by acupuncture at the

GV20 and Yintang acupoints might be partially associated with the alpha(2)-

adrenergic system. PMID: 17551239 [PubMed - in process]

 

 

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