The effects of auricular electroacupuncture on obesity in female patients - A prospective randomized placebo-controlled pilot study

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• 作者：Regina Patricia Schukro^a ; ^{regina.schukro@meduniwien.ac.at" class="auth_mail} ; Christoph Heiserer^b ; Andrea Michalek-Sauberer^a ; Andreas Gleiss^c ; Sabine Sator-Katzenschlager^a
• 关键词：Auricular acupuncture ; Electroacupuncture ; Obesity
• 刊名：Complementary Therapies in Medicine
• 出版年：February, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：22
• 期：1
• 页码：21-25
• 全文大小：387 K

文摘

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Summary

Background

Obesity is a chronic condition related to serious morbidity and mortality of increasing incidence and prevalence. Several studies show a significantly higher weight loss with acupuncture treatment. This is the first prospective, randomized, double-blinded study, testing the effects of auricular electroacupuncture on weight loss in obese female patients.

Methods

56 female obese patients (age > 18, Body Mass Index, BMI > 25) were randomized to receive either auricular acupuncture with electrical stimulation with a P-Stim^庐 device (verum group, n = 28) or placebo treatment with a P-Stim^庐 dummy (n = 28) for four days. Three auricular acupuncture points were chosen (hunger 18, stomach 87 and colon 91). The treatment was performed once a week for a period of six weeks. A follow-up visit was performed after 4 weeks. At each visit body weight, BMI (Body Mass Index) and body fat were measured.

Results

Relative reduction of body weight was significantly greater in the verum group (鈭?.73%; CI = 鈭?.70 to 鈭?.76) than in the placebo group (鈭?.70%; CI = 鈭?.57 to +0.16; p < 0.001) In addition we also observed a significant reduction of BMI (p < 0.001) in the verum group (鈭?.62%; CI = 鈭?.39 to 鈭?.84) compared to placebo (鈭?.82%; CI = 鈭?.55 to 鈭?.10; p < 0.001). No patient reported side effects related to acupuncture.

Conclusion

In conclusion electrical auricular acupuncture could be a safe, additive, non-pharmacological treatment in obese patients.