The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회지)

The Society of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회)
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Pilot Study: Effects of Acupuncture on the Muscle Cramps of Liver Cirrhosis Patients

  • Kim, Seung-mo (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University) ;
  • Kwak, Min-ah (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University) ;
  • Joo, Jeong-hyun (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University) ;
  • Kim, Kyung-soon (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University) ;
  • Shin, Im-hee (Dept. of Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Lee, Chang-hyeong (Dept. of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu)
  • Received : 2018.03.15
  • Accepted : 2018.06.28
  • Published : 2018.06.30
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Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this clinical trial is to examine the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture on liver cirrhosis patients suffering from muscle cramps. Methods: A total of 14 liver cirrhosis patients with muscle cramps were treated by electroacupuncture three times a week for four weeks (12 times total). The electrical stimulation was a frequency of 100 Hz. Evaluation of the muscle cramps was measured by a questionnaire of subjective symptoms. The patients' condition was evaluated four times over a period of eight weeks. We also assessed the deterioration of liver disease using the Child-Pugh score and blood tests. Results: This study proves that four weeks of electroacupuncture treatment is effective in reducing the frequency of muscle cramps and that the effects of electroacupuncture treatment lasted during another four-week follow-up period after treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that electroacupuncture treatment is beneficial for improving muscle cramps in liver cirrhosis patients (p=0.000). Electroacupuncture is thought to be a safe treatment for liver cirrhosis patients with muscle cramps without contributing to the worsening of liver function. Further study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm our findings.

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References

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