Effects of electroacupuncture plus drug anesthesia on pain and stress response in patients after radical surgery for stomach cancer / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture plus drug anesthesia on pain and stress response in patients after radical surgery for stomach cancer.Methods: A total of 60 patients were randomized into a control group and an observation group by the random number table, with 30 cases in each group. The control group was given conventional drug anesthesia. The observation group was given additional electroacupuncture intervention. Before anesthesia and 2 h, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, the visual analog scale (VAS) was scored, the heart rate, the mean arterial pressure, and the levels of serum β-endorphin (β-EP) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) were measured. Results: Two hours, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, the VAS scores of both groups were higher than those before anesthesia (all P<0.05), and the VAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group at the same time points (all P<0.05). Two hours, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, the heart rates and mean arterial pressures in the control group were significantly higher than those before anesthesia (all P<0.05), while there were no significant intra-group differences in the observation group (all P>0.05), and the indicators were lower than those in the control group at the same time points (all P<0.05). Two hours, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, the serum β-EP levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those before anesthesia (all P<0.05), and significantly higher than those in the control group at the same time points (all P<0.05). Two hours, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, the serum ACTH levels in the control group were significantly higher than those before anesthesia (all P<0.05), and were significantly higher than those in the observation group at the same time points (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture plus drug anesthesia can significantly relieve pain and stress response in patients after radical surgery for stomach cancer.