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Auricular vagal nerve stimulation in peripheral arterial disease patients.
- Source :
-
VASA. Zeitschrift fur Gefasskrankheiten [Vasa] 2017 Oct; Vol. 46 (6), pp. 462-470. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Sep 18. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Background: Auricular nerve stimulation has been proven effective in different diseases. We investigated if a conservative therapeutic alternative for claudication in peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD) via electroacupuncture of the outer ear can be established.<br />Patients and Methods: In this prospective, double-blinded trial an ear acupuncture using an electroacupuncture device was carried out in 40 PAD patients in Fontaine stage IIb. Twenty patients were randomized to the verum group using a fully functional electroacupuncture device, the other 20 patients received a sham device (control group). Per patient, eight cycles (1 cycle = 1 week) of electroacupuncture were performed. The primary endpoint was defined as a significantly more frequent doubling of the absolute walking distance after eight cycles in the verum group compared to controls in a standardized treadmill testing. Secondary endpoints were a significant improvement of the total score of the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) as well as improvements in health related quality of life using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36).<br />Results: There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The initial walking distance significantly increased in both groups (verum group [means]: 182 [95 % CI 128-236] meters to 345 [95 % CI 227-463] meters [+ 90 %], p < 0.01; control group [means]: 159 [95 % CI 109-210] meters to 268 [95 % CI 182-366] meters [+ 69 %], p = 0.01). Twelve patients (60 %) in the verum group and five patients (25 %) in controls reached the primary endpoint of doubling walking distance (p = 0.05). The total score of WIQ significantly improved in the verum group (+ 22 %, p = 0.01) but not in controls (+ 8 %, p = 0.56). SF-36 showed significantly improvements in six out of eight categories in the verum group and only in one of eight in controls.<br />Conclusions: Electroacupuncture of the outer ear seems to be an easy-to-use therapeutic option in an age of increasingly invasive and mechanically complex treatments for PAD patients.
- Subjects :
- Acupuncture, Ear adverse effects
Acupuncture, Ear instrumentation
Aged
Double-Blind Method
Electroacupuncture adverse effects
Electroacupuncture instrumentation
Exercise Test
Exercise Tolerance
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Peripheral Arterial Disease diagnosis
Peripheral Arterial Disease physiopathology
Prospective Studies
Quality of Life
Recovery of Function
Surveys and Questionnaires
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Vagus Nerve Stimulation adverse effects
Vagus Nerve Stimulation instrumentation
Walking
Acupuncture, Ear methods
Electroacupuncture methods
Peripheral Arterial Disease therapy
Vagus Nerve Stimulation methods
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0301-1526
- Volume :
- 46
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- VASA. Zeitschrift fur Gefasskrankheiten
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28920767
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1024/0301-1526/a000660