Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on the postoperative sleep quality and inflammatory factors in frail elderly patients / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of transcutaneous acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on sleep quality and inflammatory factor in frail elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.@*METHODS@#A total of 100 frail elderly patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 50 cases in each one. Patients in the observation group received TEAS, 30 min before surgery until the end of surgery, at 18:00 on the day of surgery and on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd day after surgery (30 min each time). TEAS was delivered at bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7) and Hegu (LI 4). The disperse-dense wave of 2 Hz/100 Hz was selected, and the maximal stimulation intensity depended on patient's tolerance. The operation procedure in the control group was same as the observation group, but without electric stimulation exerted. The 1st day before surgery and on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after surgery, the scores of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Athens insomnia scale (AIS), as well as the serum levels of C reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were observed in the patients of two groups. At 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after surgery, the score of pain visual analogue scale (VAS) was recorded in the two groups, as well as the pressing times of analgesic pump and the usage of flurbiprofen axetil during analgesic stage. The occurrence of post operative adverse reactions was observed in the patients of two groups.@*RESULTS@#On the 1st and 3rd day after surgery, except the usage of hypnotic drug scores, the scores of each item and the total scores of PSQI, as well as AIS scores were all increased in the two groups compared with those of 1 day before surgery (P<0.05); and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). On the 7th day after surgery, the scores of each item and the total scores of PSQI, and AIS scores were not different statistically in comparison between the two groups (P>0.05). On the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after surgery, serum levels of CRP and IL-6 were all increased in the patients of two groups when compared with those of 1 day before surgery (P<0.05), serum levels CRP and IL-6 in the patients of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The VAS scores of 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after surgery, the pressing times of analgesic pump, the frequency and dosage of the remedies were not different statistically between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TEAS can effectively improve sleep quality and reduce inflammatory reaction in frail elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation based on electro-oculogram signal regulation for children with mental retardation: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at Changqiang (GV 1) based on the modulation of electro-oculogram (EOG) signal for children with mental retardation, and explore the evaluation effect of the goal attainment scale (GAS) in children with mental retardation.@*METHODS@#Sixty children with mental retardation were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, with 30 cases in each one. The children in the control group were treated with conventional rehabilitation, 5 times a week. On the basis of the control group, TEAS at Changqiang (GV 1) under the modulation of EOG signal was adopted in the treatment group. When the similarity between the collected EOG signal and the template was within the range of EOG threshold, one electric stimulation was triggered at Changqiang (GV 1) for 20 s (continuous wave, 70-100 Hz in frequency, 0.1-0.2 ms in pulse width), lasting 30 min in each treatment, the intervention was given twice a week. One course of treatment was composed of 4 weeks, and 3 courses were required in total in the two groups. The infant-junior high school student's social living ability scale (S-M) and GAS were scored and compared before and after treatment in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the scores of self-living ability in the treatment group and communication ability in the control group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). The scores of collective activity and motor ability in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, GAS scores were higher than before treatment in both groups (P<0.001), and the score in the treatment group was higher than the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TEAS under the modulation of EOG signal is conductive to improving the collective, motor and self-living abilities of the children with mental retardation and promoting children's individual goals. Compared with the standard score of S-M, the T value of GAS can better reflect the subtle progress of individual.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with electroacupuncture for rapid recovery after abdominal surgery: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with electroacupuncture (EA) on rehabilitation after abdominal surgery.@*METHODS@#A total of 320 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly divided into a combination group (80 cases), a TEAS group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued), an EA group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued) and a control group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued). The patients in the control group received enhance recovery after surgery (ERAS) standardized perioperative management. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the TEAS group was treated with TEAS at Liangmen (ST 21) and Daheng (SP 15); the EA group was treated with EA at Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39); the combination group was treated with TEAS combined with EA, with continuous wave, 2-5 Hz in frequency, and the intensity was tolerable to the patients, 30 min each time, once a day, from the first day after surgery, until the anus resumed spontaneous defecation and the oral intake of solid food was tolerated. The gastrointestinal-2 (GI-2) time, first exhaust time, first defecation time, first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time, time of first get out of bed and hospital stay were observed in all the groups; the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score and incidence rates of nausea and vomiting 1, 2, 3 days after surgery were compared in all the groups; after treatment, the acceptability of each treatment was evaluated by patients in each group.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the GI-2 time, first exhaust time, first defecation time, first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time were shortened (P<0.05), the VAS scores 2, 3 days after surgery were decreased (P<0.05) in the combination group, the TEAS group and the EA group; those in the combination group were shorter and lower than the TEAS group and the EA group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the time of hospital stay in the combination group, the TEAS group and the EA group were shortened (P<0.05), and that in the combination group was shorter than the TEAS group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TEAS combined with EA can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after abdominal surgery, relieve postoperative pain, and shorten hospital stay.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Combined with Warm Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Related Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL).@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded.@*RESULTS@#The patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#TEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).

Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Ovarian Responses and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Undergoing IVF-ET: A Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the influence of different transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) modes on ovarian responses and pregnancy outcomes in patients with infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).@*METHODS@#Two hundred infertility patients undergoing IVF-ET were divided randomly into experimental groups (TEAS groups: E-I, E-II, E-III, and E-IV, 40 cases each group) and a control group (mock TEAS group, 40 patients) using the random number method. The patients in the experimental groups received TEAS treatment of 20, 30, 40 and 50 mA for the E-I, E-II, E-III and E-IV groups, respectively. The control group received a treatment of 5 mA. TEAS was applied at acupoints of Guanyuan (RN 4), Zhongji (RN 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zigong (EX-CA 1), and Taixi (KI 13), once a day for 30 min each time for a treatment period of 10-13 d. Treatment effect was assessed using the following indicators: endometrial thickness on the 6th day of gonadotropin treatment (GN6 day), endometrial thickness on the day on chorionic gonadotropin administration (HCG day), number of ovarian follicles on HCG day, number of ova captured, amount of estrogen required for each harvested ova, number of mature ova divided by the total number of ova, percentage of high-quality embryos, and clinical pregnancy.@*RESULTS@#Endometrial thickness in the experimental groups on the HCG day was significantly better than that of the control group after TEAS stimulation (P=0.01). TEAS exhibited a greater impact on the number of ova captured (P=0.003). However, the effect of TEAS stimulation on the high-quality embryo rate and clinical pregnancy in patients was not statistically significant (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#TEAS is an effective method in improving the ovarian state. When the stimulus intensity was at 40 mA and above, it could be helpful to improve the patient's endometrial condition and endometrial receptivity and to retrieve more oocytes. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR-TRC-11001780).

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on the treatment of donation related vasovagal reaction / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the application value of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in treating blood donation-related vasovagal reaction (DRVR). 【Methods】 The donors, experienced DRVR in our No.1 and No.2 mobile blood donation trucks from January 2020 to November 2021, were selected as research subjects and divided into TEAS group and control group, according to different treatment methods.After the occurrence of DRVR, the control group adopted routine treatment methods, such as stoping phlebotomy immediately, laid flat on the back with the feet higher than the head, head tilted to one side, and loosing collar or tight clothes.In case of syncope, acupressure was given to Renzhong and Hegu, pulse and blood pressure were monitored, and blood donors were provided with proper amount of liquid after consciousness recovery.The TEAS group received extra TEAS treatment based on the above methods.According to the symptoms of DRVR, the two groups were sub-divided into non-syncope DRVR and syncope DRVR to observe the effect of different treatments. 【Results】 The total effective rate of TEAS in non-syncope DRVR(97.33%) and syncope DRVR group(97.06%) was higher than those of control group (vs 91.13% and 76.67%)(P<0.05). The changes of blood pressure and heart rate of blood donors before blood donation and after treatment with the two methods in the TEAS group were lower than those in the control group (systolic blood pressure change value 5.24±2.87 mmHg vs 7.42±3.44 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure change value 3.17±2.24 mmHg vs 3.67±2.51mmHg, heart rate change value 2.71±0.35 beats/min vs 3.46±0.49 beats/min), P<0.05. 【Conclusion】 TEAS has better effect than conventional treatments, especially for DRVR with syncope, and can quickly and effectively improve the syncope related symptoms and shorten the recovery time.Moreover, it is safe, non-invasive, simple economic and effective, which deserves application and popularization in mobile blood donation sites.

Effects of Bilateral Arm Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Upper Limb Function for Subacute Stroke Hemiplegic Patients / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To explore the effects of bilateral arm transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) based on mirror therapy (MT) on upper limb function of subacute stroke hemiplegic patients. Methods:From September, 2017 to October, 2019, 48 subacute stroke hemiplegic patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 24) and experimental group (n = 24). All the patients accepted routine rehabilitation and MT, while the experimental group received bilateral arm TEAS and the control group received sham TEAS, for four weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and after treatment. Results:All the scores of FMA-UE, ARAT, WMFT and MBI improved in both groups after treatment (|t| > 11.870, P < 0.001), and improved more in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.678, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Bilateral arm TEAS based on MT can promote the upper limb function of subacute stroke hemiplegic patients.

Perioperative transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for improving postoperative gastrointestinal function: A randomized controlled trial / 中西医结合学报

BACKGROUND@#Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) is one of the most common complications in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Acupuncture has been used widely in gastrointestinal diseases due to its effectiveness and minimally invasive nature.@*OBJECTIVE@#This study evaluated the efficacy of using transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) during the surgery and postoperative recovery in patients with gastric and colorectal surgery for improving postoperative gastrointestinal function.@*DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS@#A total of 280 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were stratified by type of surgery (i.e., gastric or colorectal surgery) and randomly allocated into the TEAS group (group T) or the sham group (group S). Patients in group T received TEAS at LI4, PC6, ST36 and ST37. Patients in group S received pseudo-TEAS at sham acupoints. The stimulation was given from 30 min before anesthesia until the end of surgery. The same treatment was performed at 9 am on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days after surgery, until the recovery of flatus in patients.@*MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES@#The primary outcome was the time to the first bowel motion, as detected by auscultation. The secondary outcomes included the first flatus and ambulation time, changes of perioperative substance P (SP), incidence of PGD, postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and some economic indicators.@*RESULTS@#The time to first bowel motion, first flatus and first ambulation in group T was much shorter than that in group S (P < 0.01). In patients undergoing colorectal surgery, the concentration of SP was lower in group T than in group S on the third day after the operation (P < 0.05). The average incidence of PGD in all patients was 25%, and the frequency of PGD was significantly lower in group T than in group S (18.6% vs. 31.4%, respectively; P < 0.05). TEAS treatment (odds ratio = 0.498; 95% confidence interval: 0.232-0.786) and type of surgery were relevant factors for the development of PGD. Postoperative pain score and PONV occurrence were significantly lower in group T (P < 0.01). Postoperative hospitalization days and the resulting cost to patients were greatly reduced in the TEAS group (P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Perioperative TEAS was able to promote the recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function, reduce the incidence of PGD and PONV. The concentration of SP was decreased by TEAS treatment, which indicates that the brain-gut axis may play a role in how TEAS regulates gastrointestinal function.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900023263.

Clinical observation of herb-separated moxibustion on segmental conception vessel combined with low-frequency TEAS for asthenospermia and oligospermia / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of herb-separated moxibustion on segmental conception vessel combined with low-frequency transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for asthenospermia and oligospermia.@*METHODS@#A total of 105 patients with asthenospermia and oligospermia were randomly divided into a combination group, a TEAS group and a medication group, 35 cases in each one. In the medication group, vitamin E capsules, coenzyme Q10 capsules，@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, except for the sperm morphology 2 months into treatment in the medication group, the semen routine indexes 2, 3 months into treatment were improved in the 3 groups (@*CONCLUSION@#Herb-separated moxibustion on segmental conception vessel combined with low-frequency TEAS can improve semen routine, reduce sperm oxidative stress damage for patients with asthenospermia and oligospermia, and the clinical efficacy is better than the medication and TEAS.

Clinical efficacy of adductor canal blockade combined with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for total knee arthroplasty / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy of adductor canal block (ACB) combined with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS)for postoperative analgesia and early functional exercise after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).@*METHODS@#A total of 84 patients underwent primary unilateral TKA from January 2019 to August 2020 were selected, including 45 males and 39 females, aged 66-77 (72.8±8.9) years;body mass index (BMI) was for 19-25 (23.6±3.5) kg /m@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in VAS of rest pain and activity pain in postoperative 6, 12 h between two groups (@*CONCLUSION@#TEAS combined with ACB has a better postoperative analgesic efficacy than simple ACB, and can promote early functional exercise of patients. It is safe and effective for postoperative analgesia after TKA.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for the treatment of idiopathic oligoasthenospermia: A meta-analysis / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the pregnancy outcome and sperm parameters in patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.@*METHODS@#We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang from inception till January 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCT) with the keywords male infertility, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, etc. Using the Cochrane risk bias tool, we evaluated the quality of the identified RCTs, and analyzed the primary outcomes, including pregnancy and live birth, and secondary outcomes, such as sperm concentration, motility and morphology.@*RESULTS@#Four RCTs with 321 subjects were included, of which none reported live birth and only one reported a pregnancy rate of 15% after treatment of 2 Hz TEAS. Neither 2 Hz (WMD: －3.01, 95% CI: －22.28 to 16.26) nor 100 Hz TEAS (WMD: －0.02, 95% CI: －5.29 to 5.56) had any significant effect on sperm concentration, while 100 Hz TEAS markedly improved the percentage of grade a sperm (WMD: 6.83, 95% CI: 2.10 to 11.57) compared with 2Hz TEAS (WMD: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.01 to 3.61). In comparison with the blank control, neither 2 Hz (WMD: 4.07, 95% CI: －5.15 to 13.29) nor 100 Hz TEAS (WMD: 6.59, 95% CI: －5.36 to 18.55) significantly affected the percentage of grade a + b sperm or total sperm motility.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The effect of TEAS on the pregnancy outcome is not yet clear. 100 Hz TEAS significantly improved the percentage of grade a sperm in idiopathic oligoasthenospermia patients, which, however, is to be further verified with more high-quality clinical studies.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation improves pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization- embryo transfer : A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) based on the available clinical evidence.@*METHODS@#We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, CBM and Wanfang Database up to February 2021 for published randomized controlled trials (RCT) relevant to TEAS for the improvement of the pregnancy outcomes of IVF-ET. We performed literature screening, data extraction and quality evaluation according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by a meta-analysis with the RevMan 5.3 software.@*RESULTS@#A total of 2 206 cases of IVF-ET from 9 RCTs were included, 1 018 in the TEAS group and 1 188 in the control. The clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the TEAS than in the mock TEAS and non-TEAS control groups (RR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.42－2.42, P < 0.001; RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.10－1.39, P = 0.0004), and so was it before and after oocyte retrieval (RR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03－2.17, P = 0.03; RR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.12－1.92, P = 0.005). The TEAS group also showed dramatically improved embryo implantation rate (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.24－1.79, P < 0.0001) and live birth rate (RR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04－1.98, P = 0.03) compared with the control.@*CONCLUSIONS@#As a safe and non-invasive treatment, TEAS can significantly improve the pregnancy outcomes of IVF-ET, with definite effectiveness. /.

Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined with Local Anesthesia in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Carotid Artery Stenting: A Prospective Randomized Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy of electro-acupuncture (EA) or transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on perioperative cerebral blood flow (CBF) and neurological function in ischemic stroke (IS) patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS).@*METHODS@#In total, 124 consecutive IS patients were randomly allocated to the EA, TEAS, and sham groups (groups A, T, and S; 41, 42, and 41 cases, respectively) by software-derived random-number sequence. Groups A and T received EA and TEAS, respectively, at the Shuigou (GV 26) and Baihui (GV 20), Hegu (LI4) and Waiguan (TE 5) acupoints. Group S received sham EA. The stimulation was started from 30 min before surgery until the end of the operation. The primary outcome was the CBF at 30 min after surgery, which was measured by transcranial Doppler sonography. The secondary outcomes included hyperperfusion incidence and neurological function. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and General Evaluation Scale (GES) scores were recorded at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively.@*RESULTS@#Mean CBF velocity at 30 min after surgery in groups A and T was much lower than that in Group S (P < 0.05); the incidence of hyperperfusion in Groups A and T was also lower than that in group S (P <0.05). Acupuncture was an independent factor associated with reduced incidence of hyperperfusion (OR=0.042; 95% CI: 0.002-0.785; =0.034). NIHSS and GES scores improved significantly at 1 week postoperatively in Groups A and T than in Group S (P < 0.05). Relative to Group S, groups A and T exhibited significantly lower incidences of moderate pain, as well as higher incidences of satisfaction with anesthesia, at 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EA or TEAS administered in combination with local anesthesia during CAS can inhibit transient increases in CBF, reduce the incidence of postoperative hyperperfusion, and improve neurological function. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IOR-15007447).

Electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation with different intensities relieve muscular of inflammatory pain of the rats / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe and compare the ameliorate effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) with different intensities on inflammatory muscle pain, so as to confirm the role of different afferent nerve fibers in different layers (skin or muscle) in pain relief of acupuncture. METHODS: The intensities of the thresholds of A (Ta) and C (Tc) were selected for TEAS and EA. TEAS and EA were applied on the layer of skin and muscle of "Liangqiu" (ST34), respectively. Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into control, model, TEAS-Ta, TEAS-Tc, EA-Ta and EA-Tc groups (n=8 in each group). The inflammatory muscle pain model was established by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection into the right biceps femoris muscle. EA or TEAS was applied once a day for 3 days. The weight difference between the hind limbs and the abnormal electromyography (EMG) activities were observed as an index for pain of the rats. RESULTS: After modeling, the weight difference between the hind limbs was increased markedly in the model group relevant to the control group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the weight difference between the hind limbs in the TEAS-Tc, EA-Ta, and EA-Tc groups was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with that before intervention, the area under the curve and discharge frequency of abnormal EMG of rats in the TEAS-Tc and EA-Ta groups were significantly reduced after intervention (P<0.01, P<0.05), while those in the EA-Tc group were significantly increased (P<0.05). After the intervention, compared with the TEAS-Ta group, the inhibition rate of the area under the curve and the discharge frequency of the abnormal EMG in the TEAS-Tc group increased significantly (P＜0.05); and those were also increased in the EA-Ta group when compared with the EA-Tc group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: TEAS with Tc or EA with Ta in the muscle layer can alleviate the pain and inhibit the abnormal EMG in inflammatory muscle pain rats. It is indicated that local pain relief by acupuncture was related to the afferent nerve fiber in different layer with different intensities.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation relieves post-operative nausea and vomiting possibly by reducing serum motilin secretion in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) of different acupoint combinations on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and serum motilin (MTL) content in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, so as to provide evidence for clinical selection of suitable acupoint compatibility. METHODS: A total of 140 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery were randomly divided into general anesthesia (GA) control, TG2 ［Neiguan (PC6) + Hegu (LI4)］, TG3 ［PC6 + LI4 + Zusanli (ST36)］, and TG4 ［PC6 + LI4 + ST36 + Sanyinjiao (SP6)］ groups, with 35 cases in each group. Patients of the TG2, TG3 and TG4 groups received TEAS (2 Hz/100 Hz, 3-8 mA) of the above mentioned acupoint (bilateral) groups for 30 min before the induction of anesthesia until the end of the operation. Patients of the GA control group received intravenous injection of Midazolam, Sufentanil, Propofol, Rocuronium Bromide, etc. The blood sample (4 mL) from the right median cubital vein was collected at the time of patient's entry, 12 and 24 h after surgery, respectively, for measuring MTL concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The incidence of early and late PONV and changes of PONV degree within 24 h after surgery were recorded. RESULTS: The serum MTL concentrations were significantly decreased at 12 h after surgery in all the 4 groups (P<0.05), and decreased at 24 h after surgery in GA and TG2 groups vs their own pre-surgery (P < 0.05), and considerably higher at both 12 and 24 h after surgery in the TG2, TG3 and TG4 groups than in the GA control group (P<0.05), and also evidently higher in the TG3 and TG4 groups than in the TG2 group (P<0.05). The incidence of PONV was significantly lower in the TG2, TG3 and TG4 groups than in the GA control group in the early and late periods (except TG2 group) of surgery (P<0.05). The number of patients with PONV grade Ⅰ was significantly larger in the TG2, TG3 and TG4 groups than in the GA control group at 24 h after surgery (P<0.05), suggesting a mild PONV in more patients undergoing TEAS. CONCLUSION: TEAS has a preventive effect on PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, which may be related to its effect in reducing serum MTL concentration. The preventive effect of TEAS of PC6 + LI4 + ST36 and PC6 +LI4 + ST36 + SP6 is similar and better than TG2 (two acupoints) group.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on venous thrombosis after lung cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on venous thrombosis and quality of life after lung cancer surgery, basing on the conventional nursing and early functional exercise.@*METHODS@#A total of 120 patients diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and received radical resection of lung cancer surgery for the first time were randomized into a conventional nursing group, a rehabilitation training group and a TEAS group, 40 cases in each group. Conventional nursing was adopted in the conventional nursing group. Conventional nursing combined with early functional exercise were adopted in the rehabilitation training group, the exercise was taken 20 min each time, once in both morning and afternoon for 5 days. On the basis of the treatment in the rehabilitation training group, TEAS was applied at Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. in the TEAS group, with disperse-dense wave in frequency of 30 Hz/100 Hz and tolerable intensity, 30 min each time, once in both morning and afternoon for 5 days. The incidence of venous thrombosis in each group was observed at the 5th day after surgery. Before surgery and at the 5th day after surgery, the Caprini thrombus risk assessment was performed, the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scale and the functional assessment of cancer therapy-lung (FACT-L) were used to evaluate the quality of life.@*RESULTS@#At the 5th day after surgery, no thrombosis was found in the TEAS group, the incidence of venous thrombosis in the TEAS group was lower than 15.0% (6/40) in the conventional nursing group (@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of the conventional nursing and early functional exercise, TEAS can reduce the incidence of venous thrombosis, effectively prevent thrombosis and improve quality of life.

Prevention effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for chemotherapy-related myelosuppression in non-small cell lung cancer / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the prevention effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for chemotherapy-related myelosuppression in non-small cell lung cancer.@*METHODS@#A total of 102 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received initial chemotherapy were randomly divided into a conventional group, a medication group and a TEAS group, 34 cases in each one. The conventional group was treated with chemotherapy of gemcitabine combined with cisplatin and given routine care. On the basis of conventional group's treatment, the medication group was given tablets before chemotherapy, 2-3 tablets each time, 3 times a day. In the TEAS group, on the basis of conventional group's treatment, TEAS was applied at Dazhui (GV 14), Geshu (BL 17), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on day 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 14, 21 and 28 of chemotherapy. The treatment was given 30 min each time and once a day. In the three groups, the treatment for 28 days was as one course and one course of treatment was required. The changes of leukocytes, platelets, erythrocyte, hemoglobin indexes in patients of the three groups were observed one day before chemotherapy and on day 5, 8, 11, 14, 21 and 28 of chemotherapy. The comfort situation of patients was observed one day before chemotherapy and on the 5th, 11th and 21st day of chemotherapy.@*RESULTS@#Compared with before chemotherapy, the leukocyte counts of three groups were decreased at various time points after chemotherapy (<0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the leukocyte counts were higher on day 8 and 14 in the TEAS group and on day 14 in the medication group (<0.05). Compared with before chemotherapy, the platelet count decreased on the day 5, 8, 11 and 14 of chemotherapy in the conventional group (<0.05), and the platelet counts all decreased at each time point after chemotherapy in the medication group (<0.05). The platelet counts of the TEAS group on day 5, 8, 11 and 14 of chemotherapy were higher than those of the conventional group (<0.05), and the platelet counts of the TEAS group on day 5, 8, 11 and 21 of chemotherapy were higher than those of the medication group (<0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the comfort situation scores of the TEAS group were higher on the 5th and 11th days of chemotherapy (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation can prevent chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression (leukocyte, platelets) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and improve patient comfort situation.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on labor analgesia / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on labor pain.@*METHODS@#A total of 151 primiparas who were vaginal delivery were randomized into a TEAS group (76 cases) and a peridural group (75 cases). In the peridural group, peridural blockage was applied to analgesia. In the TEAS group, TEAS was applied at Hegu (LI 4)，Neiguan (PC 6), Jiaji T~L (EX-B 2) and Ciliao (BL 32), disperse-dense wave (2 Hz/100 Hz), 15-50 mA in current intensity. The analgesic time was from 3 cm to completely opening of cervix. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were observed before analgesia, after 30, 60, 120 min of analgesia in the two groups. The time of different stages of labor, usage rate of oxytocin, incidence rate of adverse reaction and amount of postpartum hemorrhage were recorded. The newborn's 1 and 5 min Apgar scores were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#The VAS scores showed a downward trend in the two groups after analgesia (0.05). The usage rate of oxytocin and incidence rate of adverse reaction in the TEAS group were 9.2% (7/76) and 2.6% (2/76), which were lower than 34.7% (26/75) and 18.7% (14/75) in the peridural group (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The analgesic effect of TEAS is inferior to peridural blockage, but TEAS could relieve labor pain to the tolerance, shorten the time of active phase on the first stage and second stage of labor and reduce the use of oxytocin, has mild adverse reaction.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on catheter related bladder discomfort after ureteroscopic lithotripsy / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To verify the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on catheter related bladder discomfort after ureteroscopic lithotripsy.@*METHODS@#Sixty male patients with selective ureteroscopic lithotripsy under general anesthesia were randomly divided into a TEAS group (30 cases, one case dropped off) and a sham TEAS group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off). Before anesthesia induction, the patients in the TEAS group were treated with TEAS at Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for 30 min, with disperse-dense wave, frequency of 2 Hz/ 15 Hz and current intensity of 6 to 10 mA. The patients in the sham TEAS group were treated with the same TEAS device at the same acupoints, but no electrical stimulation was given. After 30 min, anesthesia induction started. The total dosages of propofol and remifentanil in the two groups were recorded, and the time of operation and anesthesia, the time of wake-up and the time of stay in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were recorded. The postoperative recovery was evaluated 5 min (T) after wake-up, 1 h (T), 2 h (T) and 6 h (T) after the operation, including the severity of urinary tract irritation and visual analogue scale (VAS) score. The occurrence of adverse reactions was observed, such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness and headache.@*RESULTS@#The dosage of remifentanil in the TEAS group was significantly lower than that in the sham TEAS group (0.05). Compared with the sham TEAS group, the incidence of more-than-moderate urinary tract irritation symptoms in the TEAS group was reduced (<0.05), and the VAS scores 1 and 2 h after operation were reduced (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The 30-min TEAS at Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) before anesthesia induction could significantly control the severity of postoperative urinary tract irritation in patients with ureteroscopic lithotripsy, reduce the dosage of anesthetic drugs and relieve postoperative pain.

The curative effect observation of different frequency of TEAS combined with wristband pressing on Neiguan (PC 6) for nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effects of different frequency of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with wristband pressing on Neiguan (PC 6) for nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and optimize the TEAS frequency selection for treatment of PONV.@*METHODS@#Eighty patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into a postoperative routine care group, a 2 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing group (2 Hz TEAS group), a 100 Hz TEAS combined with combined with wristband pressing group (100 Hz TEAS group) and a 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS wristband pressing group (2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS group), 20 cases in each group (1 patient dropped off in the postoperative routine care group). All the four groups underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and routine nursing was given after the operation. In the postoperative routine nursing group，only routine nursing was received. In the other three groups, 2 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing, 100 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing, 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing to simulate Neiguan (PC 6) were treated on the basis of postoperative routine care after surgery. The treatment was given for 30 min each time for a total of 4 treatments. The incidence of PONV in each group was observed at 0-2 h, 2-8 h, 8-24 h and 24-48 h after operation, and the severity of PONV and postoperative pain were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the postoperative routine care group, the incidence and severity of PONV in the four time periods after surgery were significantly reduced in the 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS group (all <0.05), the incidence and severity of PONV in patients at 2 h and 2-8 h after surgery were significantly reduced in the 2Hz TEAS group and the 100 Hz TEAS group (all <0.05), the postoperative pain at 8 h and 24 h after surgery was alleviated in the 100 Hz TEAS group and the 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS group (all <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Different frequency of TEAS combined with wristband pressing to stimulating Neiguan (PC 6) have certain therapeutic effects on PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing at Neiguan (PC 6) is more effective in PONV. 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS and 100 Hz TEAS combined with wristband pressing at Neiguan (PC 6) have postoperative analgesic effect, and 2 Hz/100 Hz TEAS has the better analgesic effect.