Clinical observation on effect of auricular acupoint pressing in treating sleep apnea syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical effect and mechanism of auricular acupoint pressing (AAP) in treating sleep apnea syndrome (SAS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five patients with SAS were randomly divided in to the AAP group (30 patients) and the control group (15 patients) to observe the changes of clinical symptoms, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), apnea index (AI), hypopnea index (HI) and minimum blood oxygen saturation (mSaO2) in night before and after treatment by multiple channel polysomnography (PSG).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Clinical symptoms were significantly alleviated in the AAP group after treatment, with improvement in various parameters monitored by PSG (P < 0.01), showing significantly reduced AHI, AI and HI and increased mSaO2 (P < 0.01). While in the control group, no improvement was found either in clinical symptom or in PSG parameters (P > 0.05). Comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AAP is an effective treatment of SAS, it provides a facilitate, economic and safe therapy for early prevention and treatment to SAS.</p>