| Title | [Randomized controlled study on ear-electroacupuncture treatment of endometriosis-induced dysmenorrhea in patients] | | Author(s) | Jin YB, Sun ZL, Jin HF | | Institution | Department of Acu-moxibustion, Zhejiang Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China. yejin@hzcnc.com | | Source | Zhen Ci Yan Jiu 2009 Jun; 34(3):188-92. | | Abstract | OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of ear-electroacupuncture (Ear-EA) on dysmenorrhea in patients with endometriosis and to explore its underlying mechanism.
METHODS: A total of 80 endometriosis patients were randomly and equally divided into ear-EA group and body-EA group. EA (50 Hz, 0.5-0.8 mA) was applied to auricular points (Uterus, Subcortex, Shenmen, Endocrine, etc.) and body acupoints [Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8), Uterus (EX-CA 1), etc.] respectively for 30 min, once every other day for 3 months. Dysmenorrhea severity score (DSS) was assessed and plasma prostaglandin (PGE2) and 6-Keto-PGF1alpha levels detected by radioimmunoassay.
RESULTS: Compared with pre-treatment, DSS lowered significantly during the 1st and 2nd menstrual cycle in body-EA group, and during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd menstruation in ear-EA group; and the DSS of ear-EA group during the 3rd menstruation was evidently lower than that of body-EA group (P < 0.05). During the 3rd menstrual onset after the treatment, plasma PGE2 contents in both groups decreased obviously (P < 0.01), and plasma 6-Keto-PGF1alpha, levels increased considerably in comparison with pre-treatment (P < 0.01). Comparison between two groups during the 3rd menstruation showed that plasma PGE2 level of ear-EA group was markedly lower than that of body-EA group, and 6-Keto-PGF1alpha, level of ear-EA group was significantly higher than that of body-EA group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between two groups in clinical therapeutic effect (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Both ear-EA and body-EA can effectively relieve endometriosis-induced dysmenorrhea, and the former is superior to the later in reducing pain severity, which may be closely related to their effects in reducing plasma PGE2 and raising 6-Keto-PGF1alpha level. | | Language | chi | | Pub Type(s) | English Abstract
Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 19761114 |
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