A Quasi-experimental Study Of Compound Essential Oil Acupressure In Perimenopausal Syndrome

ObjectTo evaluate the effects of compound essential oil acupressure on perimenopausal syndrome (PMS) patients'symptoms and syndromes, clinical efficacy, sleep and quality of life, which therapy used was compound essential oil acupressure. The aim of this study is to advance the Traditional Chinese Medicinal in-depth development, and promote clinical application of traditional Chinese nursing skills.MethodIn this study, the quasi-experimental study design was used. Accroding to the inclusion criteria, convenience sampling of 64 patients in Neijiang City Hospital of TCM in gynecology clinic were recruited from November 2013 to April 2014. In accordance with random number table into the study was used in samples, which divided into two groups. The experimental group(n=32) performed compound essential oil acupressure, while the control group(n=32) performed acupressure. Both were on basical treatment of Qijudihuang tang for oral therapy and on the purpose of the further standardized in acupressure. Both groups were treated 25 minutes every other day,7 times for a course total of two courses, each course was 13 days. Scale modified Kupperman (KI) and TCM liver and kidney syndromes standings were evaluated before the intervention, after the intervention two weeks, four weeks, which estimated the patient's symptoms and liver and kidney syndromes; Using Nimodipine method to evaluate the efficacy of PMS symptoms and liver and kidney syndromes; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale (PSQI), the Chinese version of Insomnia Severity Index Scale (ISI) and Flinders Fatigue Scale (FFS) in the pre-intervention, post-intervention two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks in patients with sleep evaluation to improve the situation; with Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) before the intervention, after the intervention to evaluate the quality of life of PMS patients.ResultA total of 60 cases completed all data collection, which the experimental group 30 cases(2 cases lossed), control group 30 cases(1 case lossed,l case excluded).1.Symptoms and syndromes results:After the intervention, the control group at two weeks, four weeks of KI scores and TCM syndromes of liver and kidney scores were lower than the same period of the experimental group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01); repeated measures analysis of variance showed:KI score and the traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in liver and kidney effects, the within-subjects effects, between-subjects effects and the interaction between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.01). KI scores and TCM liver and kidney syndromes integral further pairwise comparisons before and after the each time point, the scores were lower than the previous time point, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01)2. Clinical evaluation of the results:KI scale and the Liver and kidney syndromes standings were two candidates from the symptoms and evidence to determine clinical efficacy.By Nimodipine method, calculating the the reduction rate before and after intervention of scores, the difference between the experimental group and the control group about symptoms and syndromes was statistically significant (P<0.01).3. Two groups of patients with PSQI, ISI and FFS score comparison showed that the experimental group after intervention in different time points scored lower than the same period of the control group, there was no statistically significant difference of the PSQI sleep efficiency (P>0.05), the rest between groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Repeated ANOVA indicated that the sleep efficiency of PSQI only time point effect is statistically significant (P<0.05), The rest of PSQI and the total score, the ISI, FFS the within-subjects effects, between-subjects effects and the interaction between the two groups were all had statistical significance (P<0.05). Each time point of PSQI, ISI and FFS scores before and after intervention did pairwise comparison, scored lower than at any time point after point, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).4. After 4 weeks' intervention, the experimental group with MENQOL of each dimension scores compared with the control group, which vasomotor symptoms, psychological symptoms, physical symptoms difference was statistically significant (P <0.05), sexual symptoms were no significant differences (P> 0.05); the experimental group after the intervention overall quality of life compared with the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).ConclusionCompound essential oil acupressure could relieve PMS symptoms in patients with liver and kidney syndrome of TCM; improve and enhance the clinical efficacy; PMS patients can have good sleep quality, daytime fatigue relieved effectively; the quality of life of PMS patients was improved, the results were better than control group. Thus, as in Traditional Chinese Medicinal safe, simple and effective means of treatment and aromatherapy with essential oils effect, both together can enhance the effect of the treatment of PMS, it is worth further being popularized.