The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회지)

The Society of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effects of Electroacupuncture on the Muscle Cramps of Liver Cirrhosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

간경변 환자의 근경련에 대한 전침 치료의 효과 무작위 대조군 연구

  • Lee, Chang-hyeong (Dept. of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Byung-seok (Dept. of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Kyung-soon (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University) ;
  • Kwak, Min-a (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University) ;
  • Kim, Seung-mo (Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University)
  • 이창형 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 내과학교실) ;
  • 김병석 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 내과학교실) ;
  • 김경순 (대구한의대학교 한의과대학 내과학교실) ;
  • 곽민아 (대구한의대학교 한의과대학 내과학교실) ;
  • 김승모 (대구한의대학교 한의과대학 내과학교실)
  • Received : 2018.08.20
  • Accepted : 2018.09.27
  • Published : 2018.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this clinical trial was to examine the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture on liver cirrhosis patients suffering from muscle cramps. Methods: Fourteen patients with liver cirrhosis who experienced muscle cramps at least once a week, regardless of cramp location, were enrolled and randomly allocated to an experimental group (n=12) or a control group (n=12). The experimental patients were treated with electroacupuncture at an electrical stimulation frequency of 100 Hz three times a week for four weeks (12 times in total). Muscle cramps were evaluated by a questionnaire that probed subjective symptoms. We analyzed the frequency of muscle cramps 3 times (at screening, 14 th visit, 15 th visit) during 8 weeks. Results: The number of patients with cramps occurring 'more than once a week' was reduced and the proportion of patients decreased in response to electroacupuncture. The number of patients with cramps occurring 'less than once every two weeks' increased and the proportion of patients also increased in response to eletroacupunture. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that electroacupuncture treatment will be beneficial for improving muscle cramps in patients with liver cirrhosis. Electroacupuncture is considered a safe and efficacious treatment for patients with liver cirrhosis who complain of muscle cramps.

Keywords

References

  1. Konikoff F, Theodor E. Painful muscle cramps : a symptom of liver cirrhosis? J Clin Gastroenterol 1986;8(6):669-72. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004836-198612000-00017
  2. Cho JH, Choi JI, Geum MS, Tak WY, Kweon YO, Kim SK, et al. Muscle Cramps in Liver Cirrhosis : Clinical Features and Related Factors. Korean Journal of Gastroenterology 1999;34(1) :76-82.
  3. Kim GI, Kang SH, Kim JI, Chae GH, Heo WW, Jeong JH, et al. The clinical feature of the muscle cramps and the effects of eperisone hydrochloride in treatment for the muscle cramps of the patients. The Korean journal of medicine 2006;70(6):643-9.
  4. Moon JS, Lee SH, Kim JE, Kim BY, Choi SM. A Survey on the Use of Electroacupuncture by Traditional Korean Medicine Doctor. The journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society 2011;28(6):53-68.
  5. Heo YK, Lee H. A Study on the Effect of High Frequency Electroacupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34) on CCl4-intoxicated Rats. Korean journal of acupuncture 2009;26(1):111-23.
  6. Ministry of Food and Drug Safty. Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) 2000. Cheongju: Ministry of Food and Drug Safty; 2000, p. 1-54.
  7. Chatrath S, Liangpunsakul S, Ghabril M, Otte J, Chalasani N, Vuppalanchi R. Prevalence and Morbidity Associated with Muscle Cramps in Patients with Cirrhosis. Am J Med 2012;125(10) :1019-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.03.012
  8. Abrams GA, Concato J, Fallon MB. Muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis. Am J Gastroenterol 1996;91(7):1363-6.
  9. Seo DM, Kang SK. Systemaic review : The study on electroacupuncture in PubMed. The journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society 2002;19(3):168-79.
  10. Coura LE, Mannel CH, Poffo R, Bedin A, Westphal GA. Randomized controlled study of preoperative electroacupuncture for post operative pain control after cardiac surgery. Acupunct MED 2011;29(1):5-6. https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.2011.004002
  11. Wang XB, Chen J, Li TJ, Tao J, Chen LD, He J, et al. Effect of electroacupuncture in different frequencies on electromyography and ambulation in stroke patients wiyh lower extremity spasticity.: a randomized controlled study. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2011;31(7):580-4.
  12. Dorey G, Conservative treatment of electile dysfunction 3: literature review. Br J Nurs 2000;9(13):859-63. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2000.9.13.5514
  13. Lee A, Done ML, The use of non-pharmacologic techniques to prevent post operative nausea and vomitting: a meta-analysis. Anesth Analog 1999;88(6):1362-9. https://doi.org/10.1213/00000539-199906000-00031
  14. Luo H, Meng F, Jia Y, Zhao X. Clinical research on the therapeutic effect of the electroacupuncture treatment in patients with depression. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 1998;52:S338-40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1819.1998.tb03262.x
  15. Lin X, Liang J, Ren J, Mu F, Zhang M, Chen JD. Electrical stimulation of acupuncture points enhances gastric myoeletrical activity in humans. Am J Gastroenteral 1997;92(9):1527-30.
  16. Jeong IG, Lee JD, Kim CH. Effect of Joksamni combination on NADPH-diaphorase, neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase, Neuropeptide Y and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide in the cerebral cortex of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat. The journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society 2003;20(5):118-32.
  17. Lee CS, Park BR, Seo JH, Kang HW, Leu YS, Kim TH. Effects of Hap-Kok(LI4) and Jok-Sam-Lee (ST36) Acupuncture on Cerebral Blood Flow in In-Young(ST9). Journal of oriental neuropsychiatry 2007;18(1):143-51.
  18. Park TG, Kim YI, Hong GW, Lim YK, Lee H, Lee BR. A study on Brain activity induced by electro-acupuncture on Taechung(LR3) and Hapkok(LI4) using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The Korean journal of maridian & acupoint 2004;21(2):29-46.
  19. Park WS, Lee TY, Kim SY, Lee KG, Youk SW, Lee CH, et al. The Immediate Effect of Electroacupuncture at the B62(Shinmaek) K6 (Chohae) on the EEG of Vascular Dementia. The journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society 2001;18(2):67-78.
  20. Song HC, Bum HS, Kang HJ, Ann SG, Kim SM, Jung HJ, et al. Effect of Acupuncture on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow at Acupoints GV 20, GV 26, LI 4, ST 36, SP 6 Evaluated by Tc-99m ECD Brain SPECT. Korean journal of nuclear medicine 2000;34(6):456-64.
  21. Department Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Acupoint. Acupuncture(下). Seoul: GibMoonDang; 2006, p. 764-1070.

Cited by

  1. 중·노년층의 전근증상에 대한 간정격 활용의 증례군 분석 vol.30, pp.1, 2018, https://doi.org/10.18325/jkmr.2020.30.1.115
  2. Dropouts in randomized clinical trials of Korean medicine interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis vol.22, pp.1, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05114-x