ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects and safety of chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the conception vessel and the governor vessel.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-nine patients of chronic fatigue syndrome were randomized into an observation group (46 cases) and a control group (43 cases). In the observation group, TEAS was applied at Dazhui (GV 14) and Mingmen (GV 4), Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4) [the current intensity: (14±2) mA]. In the control group, the simulated TEAS was applied at the same acupoints as the observation group (the current intensity: 1 mA). The treatment was given for 30 min, once a day, 5 times a week and the treatment of 4 weeks was as 1 session in the two groups. One session of treatment was required. Before treatment and at the end of 1 session of treatment, the fatigue severity scale (FSS) was adopted to evaluate the fatigue symptoms and the somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) was adopted to evaluate the potential symptoms and observe the safety of TEAS therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of treatment, FSS score and SPHERE score in the control group were not different significantly as compared with those before treatment (both>0.05). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment (both<0.01). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced apparently as compared with those in the control group (both<0.001). In the entire process of treatment with TEAS, no any adverse reaction occurred.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TEAS on the conception vessel and the governor vessel relieves fatigue symptoms and the potential symptoms in the patients of chronic fatigue syndrome. It is a safe therapy.</p>
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of electroacupuncture plus rehabilitation on shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS). Method Eighty SHS patients were randomized into an experimental group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The experimental group was intervened by electroacupuncture plus rehabilitation training and basic Western medicine treatment, while the control group was by rehabilitation training and Western medicine treatment, 3 sessions a week, 4 weeks in total. The pain intensity of the affected shoulder and upper-limb motor function were observed before and after the treatment. The therapeutic efficacy was also evaluated. Result The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of the shoulder pain and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score of the upper-limb motor function were significantly improved after the intervention in the two groups (P<0.01), and the improvements of VAS and FMA in the experimental group were more significant than that in the control group (P<0.01). Conclusion Based on the basic treatment of Western medicine, electroacupuncture plus rehabilitation training can markedly improve the pain intensity of the affected shoulder and upper-limb motor function in post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome.