Effects of Indirect Moxibustion on Common Cold Symptoms in Elderly Subjects Lived in Nursing Home: Single-case Experimental Design
10.3777/jjsam.55.706
- VernacularTitle:間接灸が施設入所高齢者の風邪症状に及ぼす影響―単一被験者研究法を用いた臨床試験の試み―
- Author:
Norihito TAKAHASHI
;
Hiroyuki TSURU
;
Masato EGAWA
;
Tadasu MATSUMOTO
;
Kenji KAWAKITA
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
elderly subjects;
common cold symptoms;
single-case experimental design;
indirect moxibustion;
nursing home
- From:Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion
2005;55(5):706-715
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
[Objective] The effect of indirect moxibustion on cold symptoms was examined in elderly subjects living in a nursing home.
[Design] A single-case experimental design that enables clinical trials in small a number of subjects was used in this study.
[Methods] Two elderly subjects living in a nursing house participated for 16 weeks. The experimental periods were allocated at random as treatment periods and control periods of eight weeks each. During the treatment periods, subjects were treated with indirect moxibustion GV 14 and BL 12 (both sides) 3 units each, 3 times a week. Rating scores with 4 and/or 5 grades were used to evaluate common cold symptoms.
[Results] Concerning the presence of common cold, there were no significant differences between the treatment and control periods. Moreover, concerning common cold symptoms, there were no significant differences between treatment and control periods.
[Conclusion] Effects of an indirect moxibustion on the common cold symptoms were not detected in this study. We speculated that the living environment of these subjects and the intensity of stimulation were factors. Furthermore, we suspected that a single-case experimental design was unsuitable for common cold research.
