Observation Of The Clinical Efficacy Of "hands And Feet Twelve Needles" Combined With Conventional Acupoint Selection In The Treatment Of Insomnia

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of "Needling Twelve Acupoints in the Hands and Feet" combined with conventional acupuncture therapy in the treatment of insomnia.Methods:108 insomnia patients were randomly divided into three groups with 36 in each group.Patients in the experimental group were treated with "Needling Twelve Acupoints in the Hands and Feet" combined with conventional acupuncture for insomnia;patients in the acupuncture control group were treated with conventional acupuncture for insomnia alone;and patients in the western medicine control group were given oral estazolam tablets.One course consisted of 4 weeks and Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI),self-rating depression scale(SDS),self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),the WHO quality of life scale(WHOQOL-BREF),and the treatment emergent symptom scale(TESS)were evaluated for all patients at the end of the course and 4weeks after the course.Results:1.Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)Intra-group comparison:At the end of the treatment,PSQI scores of all three groups decreased except for the score of hypnotics and had significant statistical significance(P<0.01).Fourth weeks after the end of treatment,the total score of PSQI was decreased in the two acupuncture groups,with significant statistical difference(P<0.01),and the decline in the Western medicine control group was statistically significant(P<0.05).Furthermore,comparison in the time to fall asleep and hours of sleep were decreased remarkably in the two acupuncture groups,indicating statistical difference(P<0.05).In addition,there was statistical difference of sleep efficiency and daytime function in the experimental group(P<0.05).Inter-group comparison:At the end of the treatment,there were significant statistical differences in the time to fall asleep,hours of sleep,sleep efficiency,and score of hypnotics among the three groups(P<0.01).Meanwhile,statistical differences were also found in scores of sleep quality and daytime function(P<0.05).After fourth weeks of treatment,the difference of sleep time was statistically significant(P<0.05).2.Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)Intra-group comparison:There was statistical difference concerning the decrease of scores in the three groups at the end of treatment(P<0.01).There was statistical difference regarding the decrease of SAS scores in the experimental group at fourth weeks after the end of treatment(P<0.05).Inter-group comparison:No statistical difference was detected in SAS scores among the three groups at different time points(P>0.05).3.Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS)Intra-group comparison:There was statistical difference regarding the decrease of SDS scores in the experimental group at the end of treatment(P<0.05).Inter-group comparison:There was no significant difference in SDS scores at the two time points among all groups(P>0.05).4.The World Health Organization Quality of Life--BREF(WHOQOL-BREF)Intra-group comparison:At the end of the treatment,the increase in the total score and physiological field score of the experimental group and the acupuncture control group was statistically significant(P<0.01).the increase of western drug control group in total score and physiological field score was statistically significant(P<0.05).The increase in the psychological field score of the experimental group was statistically significant(P<0.01),and the increase in the environmental field score of the experimental group was statistically significant(P<0.05).After fourth weeks of treatment,the increase of the total score of the experimental group and the western medicine control group,the increase of the physiological field score of the three groups,and the increase of the psychological field score of the experimental group were statistically significant(P<0.01).Inter-group comparison:There were statistically significant differences in physiological field scores between the three groups(P<0.01).There were statistical differences in psychological field scores between the three groups(P<0.05).5.Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale(TESS)Non-zero TESS scores were observed in the 3 groups only at the end of the treatment course and the difference among the 3 groups were statistically significant(p<0.01).Multiple comparisons showed no significant difference in TESS score between the two acupuncture groups and TESS score in the western medicine group was significantly higher than the two acupuncture groups.Side effects in the two acupuncture groups included subcutaneous congestion and more side effects were noted in the western medicine control group,including dizzy and headache,dry mouth,and drowsiness.All side effects resolved 4 weeks after the treatment course.Conclusion:The "Needling Twelve Acupoints in the Hands and Feet" combined with routine acupuncture can not only effectively improve the sleep status,but also relieve the anxiety and depression to a certain extent and improve the quality of life in patients with insomnia.Meanwhile,it possesses small side effect.