Ear-acupuncture therapy for intractable hiccups in the patients treated with endovascular embolization for bleeding from spontaneous rupture of liver cancer / 国际中医中药杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of ear-acupuncture therapy for intractable hiccups in the patients treated with endovascular embolization for bleeding from spontaneous rupture of liver cancer. Methods A total of 60 patients with intractable hiccups after endovascular embolization for bleeding from spontaneous rupture of liver cancer were randomly divided two groups using a random digit table, 30 in each group. The patients in the control group were treated breath holding combined with oral baclofen, and those in the observation group with ear-acupuncture therapy for 5 days, and then both groups were followed up for 1 week. The Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPS) was used for quality of life evaluation. The adverse events and recurrence during the treatment and the followed up were recorded. The therapeutic effect was evaluated. Results Total effective rate (100% vs. 76.7%; χ2=5.822, P=0.016)in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The rate of adverse events (6.7% vs. 33.3%; χ2=5.104, P=0.024)in the observation group were significantly lower than that in the control group. There was no significant difference in the KPS scores after treatment between the observation group and the control group (82.1 ± 12.6 vs. 76.5 ± 17.8; t=1.407, P=0.165). Conclusions Ear-acupuncture therapy may efficiently alleviate intractable hiccups in patients treated with endovascular embolization for bleeding from spontaneous rupture of liver cancer, and superior to breath holding combined with oral baclofen.