Effect Of Electroacupuncture On Acupoint Pain Threshold Of Female Patients With Protracted Opioid Abstinence Syndrome And Its Correlation

ObjectiveIn this study,female patients with protracted opioid abstinence syndrome(POAS)were selected as the research objects to observe the effect of electroacupuncture on acupoint pain threshold of female patients with POAS,and to explore the related factors affect acupoint pain threshold.Methods1.63 female patients with POAS and 60 healthy female subjects were included in this study.A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the mechanical pain threshold and pressure pain threshold of acupoints between the two groups,and to explore the characteristics of pain threshold phenomenon of female patients with POAS.2.In this study,63 female patients with POAS were randomly divided into acupoint group,non-acupoint group and wait-and-see group.Acupoint group were punctured HT7,PC6,ST36 and SP6,non-acupoint group with non-acupoint,these two groups received acupuncture intervention for 4 weeks for 20 times,each five times a week for 30 minutes per session.Waitand-see group received no acupuncture intervention.The outcome measures were included mechanical pain threshold,pressure pain threshold of acupoints,serum testosterone(T),prolactin(PRL),dopamine(DA),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA).In order to understand the influence of acupuncture on the pain threshold of acupoints and explore the correlation between the pain threshold of acupoints and the disease condition,the differences of mechanical pain threshold and pressure pain threshold of acupoints of POAS patients in each group were compared.Result:1.Analysis of acupoint pain threshold in female patients with protracted opioid abstinence syndrome(1)There was no significant difference between the left and right sides of mechanical pain threshold and pressure threshold of acupoints in female patients with POAS(p> 0.05).(2)The mechanical pain threshold and pressure threshold of acupoints in female patients with POAS were higher than healthy women,and the difference was statistically significant(p < 0.05).2.The clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of female patients with protracted opioid withdrawal syndromeIntra group comparison(1)Before and after treatment,the differences of mechanical pain threshold of three groups were statistically significant(p < 0.05).(2)Before and after treatment,there was a statistically significant difference in the acupoint tenderness threshold between acupoint groups(p < 0.05).In the non-acupoint group,left HT7、PC6、LI4、 PC8、 ST36、SP6、ST37 and ST39,the right BL15、BL23、HT7、PC6、LI4、PC8、SP6、ST37 and ST39 were statistically significant(p < 0.05),and there was no statistically significant difference in the tenderness thresholds of other acupoints(p > 0.05).In the waiting treatment group,except for the left HT7、PC6、LI4、PC8、SP6,the right HT7、PC6、LI4、PC8、SP6,the differences were statistically significant(p < 0.05),the differences of other acupoints were not statistically significant(p > 0.05).(3)Before and after treatment,the difference of serum Da level in the acupoint group was p = 0.05,the difference of serum Da level in the non acupoint group was statistically significant(p < 0.05),and the difference of serum Da level in the waiting treatment group was not statistically significant(p > 0.05).There were significant differences in serum 5-HT levels among the three groups(p < 0.05).There was no significant difference in serum PRL and T levels among the three groups(p > 0.05)Comparison between groups:(1)After 4 weeks of treatment,there was significant difference in the mechanical pain threshold of left BL23 and LI4,right BL15、BL23 and LI4(p < 0.05),but there was no significant difference in the mechanical pain threshold of other acupoints(p > 0.05).(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,there were significant differences among the three groups in the left BL15、 BL16、BL17、BL23、PC6、ST37 and ST39,and the right BL15、BL16、L15、BL16、HT7、 PC8、ST37 and ST39(p < 0.05),while there were no significant differences among the other acupoints(p > 0.05).(3)After 4 weeks of treatment,there was no significant difference in serum PRL,T,DA and 5-HT levels among the three groups(p > 0.05).3.Correlation analysis of acupoint pain threshold(1)The mechanical pain threshold of HT7,PC6,ST36,ST37 and ST39 on the left,BL16,BL23,PC6,LI4,PC8,ST36,SP6 and ST39 on the right were positively correlated with HAMD score(p< 0.05),and there was no significant correlation between the rest mechanical pain threshold of other acupoints and HAMD score(p > 0.05).The pressure pain threshold of24 acupoints on both sides was positively correlated with HAMD score(p< 0.05).(2)The mechanical pain threshold of HT7,PC6,ST37,ST39 on the left,BL16,LI4,PC8,ST36,SP6,ST39 on the right were positively correlated with HAMA score(p< 0.05),and there was no significant correlation between the rest mechanical pain threshold of other acupoints and HAMA score(p > 0.05).The pressure pain threshold of 24 acupoints on both sides was positively correlated with HAMA score(p < 0.05).(3)The mechanical pain threshold of PC6,ST36 and SP6 on the left,LI4,ST36 and SP6 were positively correlated with DA level(p< 0.05),while the mechanical pain threshold of other acupoints had no significant correlation with DA level(p > 0.05).The pressure pain threshold of BL17,PC6,LI4 and PC8 on the left,HT7,LI4 and PC8 on the right were positively correlated with DA level,while the correlation between the other acupoints and DA level was not statistically significant(p > 0.05).(4)There was no correlation between mechanical pain threshold,pressure pain threshold of acupoints and serum prolactin level,serum testosterone level and serum serotonin level(p> 0.05).Conclusion:1.The mechanical pain threshold and pressure pain threshold of acupoints in female patients with protracted opioid abstinence syndrome are symmetrically distributed,and female patients with POAS have Hypoesthesia.2.Acupuncture can improve the Hypoesthesia of female patients with POAS,specifically by reducing the pressure pain threshold of acupoints.3.There is a certain correlation between mechanical pain threshold,pressure pain threshold of acupoints and HAMD,HAMA score,and there may be a correlation between them and serum DA level.