Influence of Acupuncture on Autonomic Balance in Adult Tinnitus Patients:An Exploratory Study

Acupuncture is an alternative therapy for tinnitus in clinical practice.The mechanism by which acupuncture can alleviate tinnitus is still unknown.Autonomic nervous system was reported to be responsible for tinnitus.The aim of this study was to explore the effect of acupuncture on autonomic balance in adult tinnitus patients.Thirty patients were randomly assigned into either the deep acupuncture(DA)group or the shallow acupuncture(SA)group.Each patient received 6 acupuncture sessions(a-f phase)over three weeks.Measures of heart rate variability and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI)were obtained at baseline and after the sixth acupuncture session in all patients.The results showed that the low frequency/high frequency(LF/HF)pattern was increased at b-f phase until the sixth acupuncture session when compared with that at the first acupuncture session in DA group.However,it continuously increased at b-f phase in SA group even at the sixth acupuncture session,which was not significantly different from that at the first acupuncture session.The decrease in THI in DA group was greater than that in SA group after 3-week treatment(P=0.043).Our preliminary study suggests three-week deep acupuncture can improve tinnitus symptoms in adult tinnitus patients,which may be related to the regulation of autonomic nervous system balance.

针刺与艾灸对气虚证心率变异性的不同影响：随机对照研究

目的:观察针刺与艾灸对气虚证患者症状的改善作用及对心率变异性指标的不同影响。方法:招募30例气虚证患者及15例健康受试者,将30例气虚证患者随机分为针刺组和艾灸组,每组15例;15例健康受试者作为健康对照组。针刺组与健康对照组接受针刺治疗,艾灸组接受艾灸治疗,所取穴位均为关元和足三里,隔日治疗1次,共10次。在患者治疗前、治疗4次及治疗结束后进行气虚证症状量化评分并检测受试者心率变异性。比较气虚证症状量化评分与心率变异性指标的相关性,比较治疗前、治疗4次及治疗结束后3组受试者心率变异性指标的变化。结果:针刺组与艾灸组气虚证症状量化评分在第4次治疗后和治疗结束后均较治疗前下降(均P<0.05),治疗结束后艾灸组气虚证评分低于针刺组(P<0.05);气虚证患者的心率变异性指标比健康对照组更低(均P<0.05),且相关系数更高;治疗结束后,艾灸组的平均心率较治疗前下降(P<0.05),心率变异性总功率、低频均较治疗前上升(均P<0.05),健康对照组平均心率较治疗前上升(P<0.05);针刺组各指标与治疗前比较差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。结论:心率变异性总功率能一定程度上反映气虚证的严重程度,针刺与艾灸均能改善患者的气虚症状,艾灸作用更明显,原因可能与艾灸能够持续性地提高自主神经系统活性有关。

Acupotomy versus sodium hyaluronate for treatment of knee osteoarthritis in rabbits

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible advantages of acupotomy over sodium hyaluronate injection for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis(KOA).METHODS: Twenty rabbits were divided randomly into four groups(n = 5 in each): a control group,model group, acupotomy group, and sodium hyaluronate injection group. The model, acupotomy,and sodium hyaluronate groups underwent anterior cruciate ligament transection plus partial medial meniscectomy. Sodium hyaluronate injection and acupotomy were administered to the respective groups from weeks 5 to 8, and samples of the tibial plateau and medial condyle of the femur were collected in week 9. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) expression was assessed in cartilage and subchondral bone by immunohistochemical staining.RESULTS: Articular cartilage degeneration was less pronounced in the acupotomy compared with the model and sodium hyaluronate groups. VEGF expression levels in cartilage and subchondral bone were increased in the model group compared with the control group(P < 0.01), and acupotomy had a more pronounced therapeutic effect than sodium hyaluronate injection(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Acupotomy and sodium hyaluronate injection may both reduce degeneration in the cartilage and subchondral bone in KOA based on the results from a rabbit model, but acupotomy improved the histopathology and reduced the VEGF content more effectively than sodium hyaluronate injection, probably by reducing venous stasis and intraosseous pressure. Acupotomy may improve KOA by lowering VEGF.

Auricular Acupuncture and Biomedical Research——A Promising Sino-Austrian Research Cooperation

Treatment by auricular acupuncture has a long history. Ear-acupoint research has been advancing step by step in China and also in Europe. Auricles are rich in nerves, therefore a close relationship with different functions of the human body has been proved by the research teams of the two main authors of this article from China and Austria. In recent years, great progress has been made in the research of regulating human body functions through electroacupuncture at the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which is part of auricular acupuncture therapy. It is well known that the auricular branch of the vagus nerve is the only peripheral pathway to the cerebral cortex. Studies of the Chinese team on hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy and depression have shown that the mechanism of auricular vagus nerve stimulation （VNS） may be comparable with cervical VNS in terms of pathways. Auricular VNS has a broad clinical application prospect.

High-Tech Acupuncture for Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases--A Sino-Austrian Cooperation Research Protocol on Heart Rate Variability

Background： Acupuncture can not only be used for well-known diseases, but also for so-called modern lifestyle-related diseases. Using innovative methods like e.g. new analyses of heart rate variability （HRV）, it is also possible to investigate diseases like burnout syndrome, ie., qi deficiency in Chinese medicine （CM）. Objective： The main object of this research protocol is to perform research on the relationship of burnout syndrome and heart rate （HR） and HRV. Methods： A total of 175 patients with burnout syndrome （qi deficiency syndrome） in five groups and 35 healthy volunteers will be investigated. Based on random numbers generated by computer and concealed in opaque envelops, the patients will be assigned to four acupuncture groups using Zusanli （ST 36） acupuncture stimulation, Guanyuan （CV4） acupuncture stimulation, both points, and both points with Streitberger device respectively, and a moxibustion group using both points mentioned above, with 35 cases in each group. Altogether four different experiments are planned. Experiment 1 includes 70 subjects and is a comparison between a burnout group and a control group （healthy volunteers）. The evaluation parameters are different scores and indices of HR and HRV. Experiment 2 includes 140 subjects and compares the efficacy of different acupuncture points. In experiment 3 （105 subjects）, acupuncture and moxibustion should be compared to healthy volunteers. Experiment 4 （70 subjects） investigates the long-term therapeutic effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on the scores of qi deficiency and HR/HRV in qi deficiency patients. In both the acupuncture and moxibustion groups, a total of 10 treatments will be performed. Conclusions： The joint research aims at the scientific evaluation of CM, mainly in the field of HRV. This parameter could be a very good indicator of the state of health and can be influenced by different acupuncture methods, as shown in the past.