Effects of acupuncture on nutritional status in patients in a persistent vegetative state: a prospective randomized controlled study

ABSTRACT

Objective:

A prospective randomized controlled trial was designed. A total of 66 patients in a persistent vegetative state were randomized into a control group and an observation group, with 33 cases in each group. The control group was given conventional treatment plus enteral nutrition support. The observation group was treated with additional Tiao Shen Jian Pi acupuncture therapy (acupuncture for spirit-regulating and spleen-invigorating) based on the same interventions in the control group. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks. The levels of total protein (TP), prealbumin (PA), albumin (Alb), and hemoglobin (Hb) were measured before and after treatment. The upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness of triceps brachii were measured. And the intestinal flora and fecal short-chain fatty acids contents were determined.

After treatment, the levels of TP, PA, Alb, and Hb in the control group were decreased (P<0.05), while in the observation group, compared with those before treatment, the levels of TP, PA, Alb, and Hb had no statistical differences (P>0.05), and the levels were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness of triceps brachii in both groups decreased (P<0.05), and the values of these two items in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). In the control group, the contents of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in feces decreased (P<0.05), and the content of Enterococcus increased (P<0.05). In the observation group, the contents of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in feces increased (P<0.05), and the content of Enterococcus decreased (P<0.05). The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). In the control group, the total content of fecal short-chain fatty acids and the contents of acetic acid and butyric acid in feces decreased (P<0.05). In the observation group, the total content of fecal short-chain fatty acids and the contents of acetic acid and butyric acid in feces increased (P<0.05) and were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).

Acupuncture can improve nutrition-related blood indicators in patients in a persistent vegetative state and delay the decrease of upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness of triceps brachii, which may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora and fecal short-chain fatty acids contents.