Acupuncture improves exercise tolerance of patients with heart failure: a placebo-controlled pilot study
Item
Title
Acupuncture improves exercise tolerance of patients with heart failure: a placebo-controlled pilot study
Author(s)
Kristen, A. V. See all items with this value
Schuhmacher, B. See all items with this value
Strych, K. See all items with this value
Lossnitzer, D. See all items with this value
Friederich, H. C. See all items with this value
Hilbel, T. See all items with this value
Haass, M. See all items with this value
Katus, H. A. See all items with this value
Schneider, A. See all items with this value
Streitberger, K. M. See all items with this value
Backs, J. See all items with this value
Journal Publication
Heart (British Cardiac Society) See all items with this value
Date
2010
volume
96(17)
pages
1396-1400
Research Type
RCT
Keywords
Heart Failure See all items with this value
Cardiovascular Diseases See all items with this value
Acu + Usual Care Versus Sham + Usual Care See all items with this value
TCM Acupuncture Style See all items with this value
Fixed Acupuncture Protocol See all items with this value
Restricted Modalities, Acupuncture Only See all items with this value
Sham Control See all items with this value
Non Penetrating Sham, Mechanical See all items with this value
Near Verum Acupoint Control See all items with this value
Congestive Heart Failure See all items with this value
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a complex clinical syndrome with autonomic dysbalance and increased plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines, which further worsen the syndrome. Experimental data have shown that stimulation of certain acupoints decreases autonomic dysbalance. OBJECTIVE: To test the therapeutic potential of acupuncture for life-threatening diseases such as CHF. METHODS: 17 stable patients with CHF (New York Heart Association class II-III, ejection fraction <40%) receiving optimised heart failure medication were randomised into a verum acupuncture (VA) and placebo acupuncture (PA) group. Cardiopulmonary function, heart rate variability and quality of life were explored. RESULTS: No improvements of the cardiac ejection fraction or peak oxygen uptake were observed, but the ambulated 6 min walk distance was remarkably increased in the VA group (+32+/-7 m) but not the PA group (-1+/-11 m; p<0.01). Accordingly, post-exercise recovery after maximal exercise and the VE/VCO(2) slope, a marker of ventilatory efficiency, were improved after VA but not PA. Furthermore, heart rate variability increased after VA, but decreased after PA. The 'general health' score and 'body pain' score of the quality-of-life questionnaire SF-36 tended to be improved after VA. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture may become an additional therapeutic strategy to improve the exercise tolerance of patients with CHF, potentially by improving skeletal muscle function.
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Frequency of Treatment
>1/WK
Time in Treatment
5 Weeks
has health condition studied
Cardiovascular Diseases
has study population number
17