[Effect of electrothermal acupuncture on moderate to severe cancer pain with yin-cold stagnation: a randomized controlled trial]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effectiveness and safety of electrothermal acupuncture therapy for patients of moderate to severe cancer pain with yin-cold stagnation.

METHODS

A total of 60 patients of moderate to severe cancer pain with yin-cold stagnation were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, opioid painkillers (oxycodone hydrochloride prolonged-release tablet or morphine sulfate sustained-release tablet) were taken. On the basis of the control group, electrothermal acupuncture was applied at Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in the observation group, 30 min each treatment, once a day for 5 days. Before and after treatment, the scores of pain numerical rating scale (NRS) and Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) were observed in the two groups. The pain remission rate, reduction of opioid painkillers and safety were compared.

RESULTS

The variation of NRS scores in the observation group were larger than the control group 3, 5 days into treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). The variation of KPS score in the observation group was larger than the control group after treatment (P<0.05). The pain remission rate was 100.0% (30/30) in the observation group, higher than 86.7% (26/30) in the control group (P<0.05). The reduction of opioid painkillers in the observation group was larger than the control group (P<0.01). There was no adverse reaction during the treatment in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of the conventional western medication for analgesia, electrothermal acupuncture could relieve pain, reduce the dose of opioid painkillers and improve the quality of life in patients of moderate to severe cancer pain with yin-cold stagnation, has a better safety.

[Electrothermal acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting:a randomized controlled trial]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effectiveness and safety of electrothermal acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in the cancerous patients of phlegm-stasis interaction in cisplatin-containing chemotherapy.

METHODS

Sixty cases of phlegm-stasis interaction in cisplatin-containing chemotherapy were randomized into a trial group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, the intravenous drip of granisetron hydrochloride injection was adopted, 3 mg before and after cisplatin-containing chemotherapy 30 min, continuously for 3 days. 43 to 45℃ electrothermal acupuncture at zusanli(ST 36) for 30 min was used on the basis of the treatment as the control group in the trial group,once a day for 3 days. CINV, anti-nausea effects, Karnofsky score, the syndrome score of phlegm-stasis interaction, and relevant indices of safety were observed on the 1st and 7th days of cisplatin-containing chemotherapy separately.

RESULTS

1.Regarding CINV and anti-nausea effect, CINV did not occur before chemotherapy in the patients of the two groups. On the 1st and 7th days of chemotherapy, CINV in the trial group were milder than those in the control group (both P<0.05).The anti-nausea effects in the trail group were better than those of the control group.2.Regarding Karnofsky score and the syndrome score of phlegm-stasis interaction, the improvements on the 7th days of chemotherapy in the trial group were better than those in the control group, indicating the significant differences (both P<0.05). 3.Regarding the safety indies, there was no adverse reaction during the treatment in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The electrothermal acupuncture effectively relieves CINV, and improves self-care dbility and the symptoms of phlegm-stasis interaction.