Effects of Electro-Acupuncture at Zusanli, Guanyuan for Sepsis Patients and Its Mechanism through Immune Regulation / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of electro-acupuncture on Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (RN 4) in patients with sepsis, and explore its mechanism in term of immune regulation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 60 patients with sepsis were randomly assigned to the control group and the intervention group equally by block randomization. Patients in the control group received routine treatment and those in the intervention group received electro-acupuncture at bilateral Zusanli and Guanyuan in addition to routine treatment, respectively. The mortality at 28 days, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE)-II score were compared to evaluate the effect, and the levels of T cell subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+) and monocytes of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR using flow cytometry were compared to explore the mechanism of this combined treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifty-eight patients completed the trial with 29 in each group. There was no significant difference of mortality in the 28th day between the two groups, with 5 death of 29 patients in the intervention group (17.2%) and 9 of 29 in the control group (31.0%). After treatment, APACHE-II score of both groups was significantly decreased, however, score of the intervention group was lower than the control group (13.28±7.07 vs. 17.10±5.83; P<0.01). The levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio of the intervention group improved after treatment and were higher than the control group (59.71%±11.94% vs. 52.54%±11.86%; 36.46%±7.60% vs. 31.58%±10.23%; 18.40%±8.82% vs. 23.07%±7.30%; 2.38±1.14 vs. 1.54±0.80, respectively; all P<0.05). The expression of HLA-DR significantly increased after treatment in the intervention group than that in the control group (7.28%±9.26% vs. 1.27%±7.00%; P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electro-acupuncture at Zusanli and Guanyuan could improve clinical curative effect in patients with sepsis, which might be achieved by regulation of the immune system.</p>

Comparative study on abdominal acupuncture and western medicine for treatment of menopause depressive disorder / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effects between abdominal acupuncture and Deanxit for treatment of menopause depressive disorder, and to explore the efficacy and safety of abdominal acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each. The observation group was treated with abdominal acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4), etc. The control group was treated with oral administration of Deanxit. The patients in both groups were treated for 4 weeks and followed up for another 4 weeks, and they were evaluated by Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) every couple weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total HAMD scores of 2 and 4 weeks treatments and 2 and 4 weeks follow-up were all reduced in both groups (all P < 0.01). The total scores of 2 and 4 weeks follow-up in observation group were lower than those in control group, with significant differences in statistical analysis (both P < 0.05). Compared with the clinical therapeutic effect of both groups after 4 weeks treatment, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05), however, after 4 weeks follow-up, the therapeutic effect in observation group was superior to that in control group, with significant difference in statistical analysis (P < 0.05). The safety indexes before and after treatment of both groups were normal, and the adverse reaction rate in observation group was much lower than that in control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Abdominal acupuncture is an effective and safe method for menopause depressive disorder, it improves the menopause depressive symptoms with persistent action, less symptoms relapse and adverse reactions.</p>