Clinical observation on 90 cases of primary dysmenorrhea treated by buccal acupuncture therapy: a randomized controlled study

doi:10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20231110.001

Abstract

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To explore the short-term and long-term efficacy of buccal acupuncture therapy in the treatment of patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD).

METHODS: A total of 90 patients with PD who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to December 2021 were included in this study and randomly divided into three groups, including the observation group, the control group, and the placebo group, with 30 patients in each group. Patients in the observation group were treated according to the syndrome types of Traditional Chinese Medicine, those in the control group were treated with Saridon, and those in the placebo group received a placebo. The visual analog scale (VAS) scores of these patients were evaluated at different time points (before treatment, 5 min after needle retention, 30 min after needle retention, 1 h after treatment, 2 h after treatment, 1 d after treatment, and 2 d after treatment). The Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS) scores were assessed before the treatment and after three courses of treatment. Besides, these two scales were also evaluated during follow-up. Moreover, the pain score and adverse reactions of these patients were assessed during treatment.

RESULTS: After treatment, the VAS and CMSS scores in the observation group decreased significantly (P < 0.05) 5 and 30 min after needle retention and after treatment.

CONCLUSION: Buccal acupuncture therapy is verified to have short-term efficacy in the treatment of PD. In addition, this therapy has an immediate analgesic effect and long-term efficacy in reducing the severity and frequency of PD.

Key words: buccal acupuncture therapy, primary dysmenorrhea, pain score, randomized controlled trial

YANG Yi, YE Huijun, ZHENG Huiling, JIN Lihua. Clinical observation on 90 cases of primary dysmenorrhea treated by buccal acupuncture therapy: a randomized controlled study[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024, 44(1): 172-181.

Figures/Tables 5

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Variable	Observation group (n = 30)	Control group (n = 30)	Placebo group (n = 30)	P value
Age (years)	22.3±2.5	21.7±2.8	22.2±2.1	0.648
Age at menarche (years)	12.5±1.2	12.9±1.5	12.6±1.3	0.447
Menstrual cycle (days)	28.8±1.8	29.0±1.9	28.6±1.6	0.644
Menstruation (days)	6.5±0.9	6.6±0.9	6.4±0.9	0.553
Duration of disease (years)	5.1±1.6	4.2±1.6	4.9±1.4	0.049

Variable	Observation group (n = 30)	Control group (n = 30)	Placebo group (n = 30)	P value
Age (years)	22.3±2.5	21.7±2.8	22.2±2.1	0.648
Age at menarche (years)	12.5±1.2	12.9±1.5	12.6±1.3	0.447
Menstrual cycle (days)	28.8±1.8	29.0±1.9	28.6±1.6	0.644
Menstruation (days)	6.5±0.9	6.6±0.9	6.4±0.9	0.553
Duration of disease (years)	5.1±1.6	4.2±1.6	4.9±1.4	0.049

Time	Observation (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Observation vs control (time*group)		Observation vs control			Observation vs placebo (time*group)		Observation vs placebo			Control vs placebo (time*group)		Control vs placebo
Time	Observation (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value
0 min (before first treat-ment)	6.80±1.19	6.47± 1.31	6.00± 1.39	55.23	< 0.001	0.33 (－0.31, 0.98)	0.305	1.02	93.61	< 0.001	0.80 (0.13, 1.47)	0.021	5.67	109.775	< 0.001	0.47 (－0.24, 1.17)	0.189	1.77
After 5 min	2.87±1.59	6.40± 1.33	6.00± 1.39	-	-	－3.53 (－4.29, －2.78)	< 0.001	87.12	-	-	－3.13 (－3.91, －2.35)	< 0.001	64.74	-	-	0.40 (－0.31, 1.11)	0.263	1.28
After 30 min	1.07±1.02	1.83± 1.14	5.72± 1.44	-	-	－0.77 (－1.33, －0.21)	0.008	7.52	-	-	－4.66 (－5.30, －4.01)	< 0.001	207.99	-	-	－3.89 (－4.57, －3.21)	< 0.001	132.60
After 2 h	0.67±0.84	0.20± 0.66	5.62± 1.86	-	-	0.47 (0.07, 0.86)	0.021	5.66	-	-	－4.95 (－5.70, －4.21)	< 0.001	175.57	-	-	－5.42 (－6.14, －4.70)	< 0.001	225.29
After 1 d	0.20±0.55	0.03± 0.18	2.17± 1.98	-	-	0.17 (－0.05, 0.38)	0.121	2.47	-	-	－1.97 (－2.73, －1.22)	< 0.001	27.49	-	-	－2.14 (－2.87, －1.41)	< 0.001	34.62

Time	Observation (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Observation vs control (time*group)		Observation vs control			Observation vs placebo (time*group)		Observation vs placebo			Control vs placebo (time*group)		Control vs placebo
Time	Observation (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 30) ($\bar{x}±s$)	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	FTime* Group	P value	Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)	P value	F value
0 min (before first treat-ment)	6.80±1.19	6.47± 1.31	6.00± 1.39	55.23	< 0.001	0.33 (－0.31, 0.98)	0.305	1.02	93.61	< 0.001	0.80 (0.13, 1.47)	0.021	5.67	109.775	< 0.001	0.47 (－0.24, 1.17)	0.189	1.77
After 5 min	2.87±1.59	6.40± 1.33	6.00± 1.39	-	-	－3.53 (－4.29, －2.78)	< 0.001	87.12	-	-	－3.13 (－3.91, －2.35)	< 0.001	64.74	-	-	0.40 (－0.31, 1.11)	0.263	1.28
After 30 min	1.07±1.02	1.83± 1.14	5.72± 1.44	-	-	－0.77 (－1.33, －0.21)	0.008	7.52	-	-	－4.66 (－5.30, －4.01)	< 0.001	207.99	-	-	－3.89 (－4.57, －3.21)	< 0.001	132.60
After 2 h	0.67±0.84	0.20± 0.66	5.62± 1.86	-	-	0.47 (0.07, 0.86)	0.021	5.66	-	-	－4.95 (－5.70, －4.21)	< 0.001	175.57	-	-	－5.42 (－6.14, －4.70)	< 0.001	225.29
After 1 d	0.20±0.55	0.03± 0.18	2.17± 1.98	-	-	0.17 (－0.05, 0.38)	0.121	2.47	-	-	－1.97 (－2.73, －1.22)	< 0.001	27.49	-	-	－2.14 (－2.87, －1.41)	< 0.001	34.62

Time	Observation (n = 25) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 23) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 22) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Observation vs control (time*group)		Observation vs control			Observation vs placebo (time*group)		Observation vs placebo			Control vs placebo (time*group)
Time	Observation (n = 25) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Control (n = 23) ($\bar{x}±s$)	Placebo (n = 22) ($\bar{x}±s$)	F_Time*Group	P value	Adjusted Mean Difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	F_Time*Group	P value	Adjusted Mean Difference (95% CI)	P value	F value	F_Time*Group	P value
Before first treatment	6.9±1.2	6.4±1.3	5.9±1.4	41.89	<0.01	0.43 (－0.28, 1.12)	0.23	1.47	38.67	<0.01	0.91 (0.17, 1.64)	0.02	6.15	0.51	0.63
After completion of first treatment	5.2±1.4	6.4±1.1	6.1±1.1	-	-	－1.21 (－1.93, －0.49)	<0.01	11.43	-	-	－0.91 (－1.64, －0.18)	0.02	6.32	-	-
After completion of second treatment	3.4±1.2	6.3±1.5	5.9±1.3	-	-	－2.91 (－3.66, －2.16)	<0.01	61.31	-	-	－2.47 (－3.18, －1.76)	<0.01	49.27	-	-
After completion of third treatment	2.1±1.6	6.4±1.2	5.9±1.4	-	-	－4.29 (－5.12, －3.46)	<0.01	108.47	-	-	－3.77 (－4.64, －2.89)	<0.01	75.40	-	-
3 months after treatment	2.4±1.7	6.1±1.8	5.4±1.6	-	-	－3.77 (－4.77, －2.78)	<0.01	58.33	-	-	－3.00 (－3.95, －2.07)	<0.01	41.27	-	-
6months after treatment	2.6±1.8	6.6± 1.2	5.8±1.2	-	-	－3.92 (－4.82, －3.02)	<0.01	76.72	-	-	－3.13 (－4.04, －2.22)	<0.01	47.37	-	-

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