AP research

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A new study from Kaptchuk et al:

 

 

1: Headache. 2005 Oct;45(9):1113-23.

 

 

A randomized, controlled trial of acupuncture for chronic daily headache.

 

Coeytaux RR, Kaufman JS, Kaptchuk TJ, Chen W, Miller WC, Callahan LF, Mann

JD.

 

Background.-Approximately 4% of adults experience headaches nearly every day

Nonpharmacologic interventions for frequent headaches may be appropriate

because medical management alone is often ineffective. Objective.-To assess

the efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunct to medical management for chronic

daily headache (CDH). Methods.-We conducted a randomized, controlled trial

of 74 patients with CDH that compared medical management provided by

neurologists to medical management plus 10 acupuncture treatments. Primary

outcome measures were daily pain severity and headache-related quality of

life (QoL). Results.-Patients who received only medical management did not

demonstrate improvement in any of the standardized measures. Daily pain

severity scores trended downward but did not differ between treatment groups

(P= .60). Relative to medical management only, medical management plus

acupuncture was associated with an improvement of 3.0 points (95% CI, 1.0 to

4.9) on the Headache Impact Test and an increase of 8 or more points on the

role limitations due to physical problems, social functioning, and general

mental health domains of the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Patients who

received acupuncture were 3.7 times more likely (CI, 1.7 to 8.1) to report

less suffering from headaches at 6 weeks (absolute risk reduction 46%;

number needed to treat 2). Conclusion.-Headache-specialty medical management

alone was not associated with improved clinical outcomes among our study

population. Supplementing medical management with acupuncture, however,

resulted in improvements in health-related QoL and the perception by

patients that they suffered less from headaches. (Headache 2005

45:1113-1123).

 

PMID: 16178942 [PubMed - in process]

 

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two links to full text articles:

http://www.ncchta.org/execsumm/summ932.htm :

Longer term clinical and economic benefits of offering acupuncture care to

patients with chronic low back pain

http://www.ncchta.org/execsumm/summ848.htm

 

Acupuncture of chronic headache disorders in primary care: randomised

controlled trial and economic analysis

 

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1: Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(4):525-33.

 

 

Electroacupuncture therapy for weight loss reduces serum total cholesterol,

triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol levels in obese women.

 

Cabioglu MT, Ergene N.

 

Cabioglu Acupuncture Treatment Clinic, Selcuklu 42040, Konya, Turkey.

tugcab

 

Our purpose in this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture

therapy on body weight and on levels of the serum total cholesterol,

triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density

lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in obese women. Fifty-five women were studied

in three groups as follows: (1) control group (n = 12; mean age = 43.3 +/- 4

3, and mean body mass index {BMI} = 32.2 +/- 3.4); (2) electroacupuncture

(EA) (n = 22; mean age = 39.8 +/- 5.3, and BMI = 34.8 +/- 3.3); and (3) diet

restriction (n = 21; mean age = 42.7 +/- 3.9, and BMI = 34.9 +/- 3.3). EA

was performed using the ear points, Sanjiao (Hungry) and Shen Men (Stomach),

and the body points, LI 4, LI 11, St 25, St 36, St 44 and Liv 3, once daily,

for 30 minutes, for 20 days, whereas patients on diet restriction had a 1425

Kcal diet program, that consisted of 1425 Kcal daily for 20 days. There was

a 4.8% weight reduction in patients with EA application, whereas patients on

diet restriction had a 2.5% weight reduction. There were significant

decreases in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in EA and diet groups

compared with the control group (p < 0.05 in both cases). Furthermore, there

was a decrease in LDL levels in the EA group compared with the control group

(p < 0.05). No significant changes could be found in HDL levels among the

three groups. Our results suggest that EA application in obese women may

decrease the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol

levels by increasing the serum beta endorphin level. This lipolytic effect

of EA may also reduce the morbidity of obesity by mobilizing the energy

stores that result in weight reduction.

 

PMID: 16173527 [PubMed - in process]

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1: Minerva Ginecol. 2005 Aug;57(4):471-5.

 

 

 

Acupuncture versus pharmacological approach to reduce Hyperemesis gravidarum

discomfort.

 

Neri I, Allais G, Schiapparelli P, Blasi I, Benedetto C, Facchinetti F.

 

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena-Reggio Emilia,

Modena, Italy.

 

AIM: Several reports have suggested the use of acupuncture as a useful

treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), in particular the effects on

nausea intensity was underlined. The aim of this study was to compare the

efficacy of acupuncture sessions plus acupressure with a

metoclopramide/vitamin B12 treatment. METHODS: In this study we randomized

88 pregnant patients suffering from HG to receive either acupuncture

sessions plus acupressure (acupunture group) or metoclopramide infusion

(metoclopramide group) supplemented by vitamin B12 complex. Somatic symptoms

and the ability to achieve the daily routine activity (functioning) were

evaluated. Acupunctu-re sessions were performed at the hospital twice a week

for 2 weeks according to the traditional Chinese medicine criteria.

Acupression was applied for 6-8 h/day. In the metoclopramide group, patients

received at hospital metoclopramide infusion (20 mg/500 mL saline for 60

min) twice a week for 2 weeks. An oral supplementation with vitamin B12

complex (30 mg/day) was also prescribed. RESULTS: Both treatments reduced

vomiting episodes and then nausea intensity with a consequent improvement in

the rate of food intake. The effect of acupuncture seems to be progressive,

increasing at the end of treatment whereas pharmacological approach has a

prompt effect in responders remaining stable thereafter. Moreover,

acupuncture was significantly more effective than drugs in improving

functioning. CONCLUSIONS: In our study for the first time acupuncture,

applied accordingly to Chinese formula, was compared to drugs demonstrating

the same effect of both treatments on HG symptoms. Interestingly,

functioning was significantly improved just by acupuncture. Even if the

effect of acupuncture on HG discomfort remains to be confirmed, the reports

on the effect of acupuncture on psychosocial variables could represent a

further advantage of acupuncture application and provide an incentive to

widen the base of the research.

 

PMID: 16170293 [PubMed - in process]

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