Hamid Abdi1, Maryam Tayefi2, Seyed Reza Moallem2, Baxiao Zhao3, Mojtaba Fayaz2, Hossein Mohaddes Ardabili2, Akram-Alsadat Razavi2, Mahsa Darbandi2, Sara Darbandi2, Parisa Abbasi2, Gordon A Ferns4, Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan5. 1. Biochemistry of Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. 2. Biochemistry of Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 3. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China. 4. Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Division of Medical Education, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9PH, UK. 5. Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: mohamadzade.el@gmail.com.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is associated with premature death, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and renal disease. The goal of the present study was to use a randomized controlled clinical trial to explore and compare the effectiveness of abdominal and auricular acupuncture on blood pressure in 440 subjects with and without obesity. METHODS:Four hundred participants were recruited and randomized to one of four groups: cases and controls receiving auricular acupuncture (204 subjects) and cases and controls receiving abdominal electroacupuncture (196 subjects). Blood pressure and anthropometric parameters were measured before and after the intervention period. In order to match the initial diet of the groups, participants were required to follow an isocaloric diet for two weeks before the trial, and a low-calorie diet for 6 weeks during the intervention period. RESULTS: We observed a significant time dependent improvement in the systolic blood pressure measurements in the abdominal intervention group, although this improvement was more pronounce in the first period of study. Of note, in the auricular intervention group, a significant increasing in the level of SBP was detected. Importantly no statistically significant changes were found in the corresponding sham groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that abdominal electro-acupuncture for 6 weeks reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and auricular acupuncture had a short-term adverse effect on both SBP and DBP.
RCT Entities:
INTRODUCTION:Hypertension is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is associated with premature death, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and renal disease. The goal of the present study was to use a randomized controlled clinical trial to explore and compare the effectiveness of abdominal and auricular acupuncture on blood pressure in 440 subjects with and without obesity. METHODS: Four hundred participants were recruited and randomized to one of four groups: cases and controls receiving auricular acupuncture (204 subjects) and cases and controls receiving abdominal electroacupuncture (196 subjects). Blood pressure and anthropometric parameters were measured before and after the intervention period. In order to match the initial diet of the groups, participants were required to follow an isocaloric diet for two weeks before the trial, and a low-calorie diet for 6 weeks during the intervention period. RESULTS: We observed a significant time dependent improvement in the systolic blood pressure measurements in the abdominal intervention group, although this improvement was more pronounce in the first period of study. Of note, in the auricular intervention group, a significant increasing in the level of SBP was detected. Importantly no statistically significant changes were found in the corresponding sham groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that abdominal electro-acupuncture for 6 weeks reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and auricular acupuncture had a short-term adverse effect on both SBP and DBP.
Authors: Felipe J Aidar; Edilson F Dantas; Paulo F Almeida-Neto; Frederico R Neto; Nuno D Garrido; Breno G Cabral; Tiago Figueiredo; Victor M Reis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-04 Impact factor: 3.390