Treatment by auricular acupuncture has a long history. Ear-acupoint research has been advancing step by step in China and also in Europe. Auricles are rich in nerves, therefore a close relationship with different functions of the human body has been proved by the research teams of the two main authors of this article from China and Austria. In recent years, great progress has been made in the research of regulating human body functions through electroacupuncture at the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which is part of auricular acupuncture therapy. It is well known that the auricular branch of the vagus nerve is the only peripheral pathway to the cerebral cortex. Studies of the Chinese team on hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy and depression have shown that the mechanism of auricular vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may be comparable with cervical VNS in terms of pathways. Auricular VNS has a broad clinical application prospect.
Acupuncture, Ear ; Animals ; Austria ; Biomedical Research ; China ; Depression ; therapy ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; therapy ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Reflex ; physiology ; Vagus Nerve ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the improvement of acupuncture and moxibustion on symptoms of-deficiency syndrome as well as their differences on the parameters of heart rate variability (HRV).

METHODSThirty patients with-deficiency syndrome and 15 healthy volunteers were recruited. Thirty patients with-deficiency syndrome were randomly assigned into an acupuncture group and a moxibustion group, 15 cases in each one. Fifteen healthy volunteers were allocated as a healthy control group. Patients in the acupuncture group and healthy control group were treated with acupuncture while patients in the moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion. Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) were chosen for treatment, once every other day, for totally 10 times. All the patients were evaluated with-deficiency assessment scale (QDAS) and HRV parameters before treatment, after 4th treatment and after all treatment. The correlation was analyzed between QDAS and HRV parameters, and HRV parameters were compared among the three groups before treatment, after 4th treatment and after all treatment.

RESULTSCompared before treatment, the scores of QDAS were decreased in the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group after 4th treatment and after all treatment (all<0.05); after all treatment the score of QDAS in the moxibustion group was lower than that in the acupuncture group (<0.05). The HRV parameters of-deficiency syndrome were significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers with higher correlation with QDAS. Compared before treatment, the mean heart rate was decreased after treatment (<0.05), while total HRV and low frequency were increased in the moxibustion group (both<0.05). The mean heart rate in the healthy control group was increased after treatment (<0.05). The differences of HRV parameters before and after treatment were not significant in the acupuncture group (all>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTotal HRV can reflect the severity of-deficiency syndrome. Both acupuncture and moxibustion can improve symptoms of-deficiency patients, which is superior in moxibustion. The possible mechanism is likely to be related with improved sustainable activation of autonomic nervous system.

BACKGROUNDAcupuncture can not only be used for well-known diseases, but also for so-called modern lifestyle-related diseases. Using innovative methods like e.g. new analyses of heart rate variability (HRV), it is also possible to investigate diseases like burnout syndrome, ie., qi deficiency in Chinese medicine (CM).

OBJECTIVEThe main object of this research protocol is to perform research on the relationship of burnout syndrome and heart rate (HR) and HRV.

METHODSA total of 175 patients with burnout syndrome (qi deficiency syndrome) in five groups and 35 healthy volunteers will be investigated. Based on random numbers generated by computer and concealed in opaque envelops, the patients will be assigned to four acupuncture groups using Zusanli (ST 36) acupuncture stimulation, Guanyuan (CV4) acupuncture stimulation, both points, and both points with Streitberger device respectively, and a moxibustion group using both points mentioned above, with 35 cases in each group. Altogether four different experiments are planned. Experiment 1 includes 70 subjects and is a comparison between a burnout group and a control group (healthy volunteers). The evaluation parameters are different scores and indices of HR and HRV. Experiment 2 includes 140 subjects and compares the efficacy of different acupuncture points. In experiment 3 (105 subjects), acupuncture and moxibustion should be compared to healthy volunteers. Experiment 4 (70 subjects) investigates the long-term therapeutic effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on the scores of qi deficiency and HR/HRV in qi deficiency patients. In both the acupuncture and moxibustion groups, a total of 10 treatments will be performed.

CONCLUSIONSThe joint research aims at the scientific evaluation of CM, mainly in the field of HRV. This parameter could be a very good indicator of the state of health and can be inflfluenced by different acupuncture methods, as shown in the past.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Austria ; Burnout, Professional ; therapy ; China ; Female ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Life Style ; Moxibustion ; Research Design