Paired mechanical and electrical acupuncture of neurogenic spots induces opioid-mediated suppression of hypertension in rats

Abstract Background Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain (HSP) is among common complications occurring after stroke leading to disability. This study was conducted to compare the effects of electrical Interferential Current stimulation (IFC) and Electrical Acupuncture (EAC) on pain intensity, range of motion, and functional ability in patients with HSP and also comparing the two modalities regarding improvement of above indices. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 46 patients with HSP caused by ischemic stroke were recruited and assigned into 2 groups. Conventional exercise trainings were applied for both groups. Group A received additional IFC with medium frequency of 4000 HZ, and Group B received additional EAC two times a week for a total of 10 sessions. Pain severity, daily function, and shoulder Range of Motion (ROM) were evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and goniometry, respectively before and 5 weeks after the treatment. Results Both groups showed relative improvement in pain severity, SPADI score, and its subscales, and also active and passive shoulder ROM after the treatment. However, IFC group compared to EAC group had higher mean changes of active ROM in abduction (28.00 ± 3.81 vs. 12.25 ± 2.39) and functional subscale of SPADI (11.45 ± 1.88 vs. 5.80 ± 1.66) after the treatment. On the contrary, EAC group showed higher percentage of VAS changes (46.14 ± 6.88 vs. 34.28 ± 5.52), indicating better pain improvement compared to IFC group. Other parameters did not show significant difference between two groups. Conclusion Both IFC and EAC caused short term improvement in functional state, increased motion, and decreased pain in patients with HSP. Although pain control was more evident in acupuncture group, IFC resulted in better effects on function and active ROM of abduction, and seems to have higher efficacy. Trial registration This clinical trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials at 2016-07-16 with a registry number of IRCT201602153217N10.

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Varying Electrical Acupuncture Stimulation Intensity

Anesthesia & Analgesia ◽

10.1213/00000539-198206000-00004 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 61 (6) ◽

pp. 499???503 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Franz Schimek ◽

C. Richard Chapman ◽

Rebecca Gerlach ◽

Yoko H. Colpitts

Keyword(s):

Stimulation Intensity ◽

Acupuncture Stimulation ◽

Electrical Acupuncture

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Intraoperative and Postoperative Anaesthetic and Analgesic Effect of Multipoint Transcutaneous Electrical Acupuncture Stimulation Combined with Sufentanil Anaesthesia in Patients Undergoing Supratentorial Craniotomy

Acupuncture in Medicine ◽

10.1136/acupmed-2014-010749 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 270-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Xing Liu ◽

Shuqin Li ◽

Baoguo Wang ◽

Lixin An ◽

Xiujun Ren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Side Effects ◽

Postoperative Pain ◽

Analgesic Effect ◽

Postoperative Recovery ◽

Tumour Resection ◽

Acupuncture Stimulation ◽

Supratentorial Craniotomy ◽

Electrical Acupuncture ◽

Registration Number

Objectives To investigate the anaesthetic and analgesic effect of multipoint transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation (TEAS) during supratentorial tumour resection for postoperative recovery and side effects. Methods In a blinded clinical trial, 92 patients scheduled for supratentorial craniotomy under general anaesthesia were randomly allocated into either a multipoint TEAS (n=46) or a sham TEAS group (n=46). All patients received total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and sufentanil. The target concentration of sufentanil was adjusted and recorded according to mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and bispectral index (BIS). Patients in the TEAS group received TEAS 30 min before anaesthesia induction and this was maintained throughout the operation at four pairs of acupuncture points. Postoperative pain, recovery and side effects were evaluated. Results Eighty-eight patients completed the study. Continuous monitoring of MAP, HR and BIS showed stable values with no significant differences between the two groups (p>0.05). Sufentanil target plasma concentration in TEAS patients was significantly lower at some time points during supratentorial craniotomy, and total sufentanil consumption was significantly higher in the sham group (p<0.05). Postoperative recovery and pain were significantly improved by TEAS (p<0.001), without the postoperative side effects. Conclusions Multipoint TEAS at both proximal and distal points combined with TIVA can significantly decrease intraoperative sufentanil requirements, increase pain relief on postoperative day 1 and improve postoperative recovery of patients during supratentorial tumour resection, with no significant increase of side effects. These findings suggest that multipoint TEAS may be clinically effective as an adjunct to analgesia in intraoperative anaesthesia and postoperative pain treatment and may speed recovery. Trial Registration Number Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number ChiCTR-TRC-10001078).

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