| ObjectiveThe study utilizes clinical epidemiologic, research and statistical analytic methods to observe the safety and therapeutic effect of using electro-acupuncture on the siguan acupoints in treating insomnia of the stagnation of the liver qi with pathogenic heat syndrome.MethodA total of 60 insomnia patients who qualified the experimental criteria were gathered during the period of October to December of 2008 at the Yiyuan Tang TCM Clinic in Taiwan. They were randomly divided at a 1:1 ratio into electro-acupuncture group and herbal group. The previous used electro-acupuncture on the siguan acupoints once every 2 days,10 days was equivalent to 1 course of treatment; they were observed for 1 course of treatment. The latter group was prescribed herbal intake of danzhi xiaoya(?) wan,6-9g twice every day; the group was observed for once course of treatment for 10 days. Clinical effectiveness was observed and assessed via the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).ResultsThe study observed a total of 60 insomnia patients diagnosed with stagnation of liver qi with pathogenic heat syndrome. The electro-acupuncture group consisted of 30 patients:13 males and 17 females, age ranged from 19 to 69 years old with an average of 38.61±12.57 years, the course of illness ranged from 2 months to 18 years, with an average of 6.23±3.65 years, the average PSQI score was 14.16±3.08. The herbal group also consisted of 30 patients:18 males and 12 females, age ranging from 21 to 68 years old with an average of 37.14±10.09 years, the course of illness ranged from 1 month to 16 years with an average of 4.98±2.85 years, and the average PSQI score was 12.68±2.88.With respect to the basic indices of the two groups, including gender, age, course of illness and PSQI score before treatment, were comparable and showed no statistical significance.After one course of treatment, the PSQI score improved in both groups and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05), which indicated that both electro-acupuncture and herbal intake were effective in treating insomnia of the observed TCM syndrome in terms of sleep duration, sleep latency, daytime dysfunction, sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances. In group comparison, the electro-acupuncture group was more effective in improving sleep time, daytime dysfunction, sleep quality, and sleep disturbances than the herbal group; the groups showed similar results in other indices.In terms of clinical effectiveness, of the 30 patients in the electro-acupuncture group,16 patients were clinical recovered,10 were very effective,3 were effective, and 1 was ineffective; the total effective rate was 96.67%. As for the 30 patients in the herbal group,7 patients were clinical recovered,7 were very effective,7 were effective and 9 were ineffective; the total effective rate was 70.0%. The group differences in both clinical effectiveness and total effective rate were statistically significant (p<0.05). The total effective rate in the electro-acupuncture group was higher than that of the herbal group; patients in the electro-acupuncture group showed more improvements. Thus, electro-acupuncture treatment was more effective than herbal intake.Safety assessment was performed by taking blood work, urine and stool samples and electrocardiogram before and after treatment. No abnormal lab readings were found after treatment, which indicated that electro-acupuncture on the siguan acupoints resulted in no adverse effect in the experiment.ConclusionsUsing electro-acupuncture on the siguan acupoints to treat insomnia was clinically effective, improving patients'sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction. The treatment was more effective in improving sleep time, sleep disturbances, sleep quality and daytime dysfunction than simply herbal intake. No adverse effect was resulted; the method was both safe and effective.
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