Effect of Auricular Acupressure on Uremic Pruritus in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Yan, C.-na

Yao, W.-guo

Bao, Y.-jie

Shi, X.-jing

Yu, H.

Yin, P.-hao

Liu, G.-zhen

Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (eCAM)

2015

2015

RCT

CHRONIC kidney failure -- Treatment

ITCHING -- Treatment

CHRONIC kidney failure -- Complications

Acupressure

ACUPUNCTURE points

ANALYSIS of covariance

CHRONIC kidney failure

Ear

ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay

Hemodialysis

Histamine

RESEARCH -- Finance

SAMPLING (Statistics)

Statistics

T-test (Statistics)

Uremia

DATA analysis

RANDOMIZED controlled trials

VISUAL analog scale

TREATMENT effectiveness

DATA analysis -- Software

Symptoms

China

Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common symptom in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Objective. To determine the clinical efficacy of auricular acupressure therapy on pruritus in hemodialysis patients and to explore possible underlying mechanisms. Methods. Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at a referral medical center were recruited and assigned to intervention (n=32) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group underwent auricular acupressure treatment three times a week for six weeks. Auricular acupressure was not applied to patients in the control group. However, tape without Vaccaria seeds was applied to the same six auricular acupoints as the intervention group. Pruritus scores were assessed using VAS scores, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure levels of other possible contributory biochemical factors. Results. There was a significant difference in mean VAS scores between the postintervention and control groups during follow-up (3.844 ± 1.687 versus 5.567 ± 2.285, F=22.32, P<0.0001). Compared to the control group, serum histamine levels in the postintervention group at the six-week follow-up had decreased significantly (F=5.01, P=0.0290). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that auricular acupressure may be a useful treatment in the multidisciplinary management of UP in ESRD patients.

Accession Number: 110311799; Source Information: 10/1/2015, Vol. 2015, p1; Subject Term: CHRONIC kidney failure -- Treatment; Subject Term: ITCHING -- Treatment; Subject Term: CHRONIC kidney failure -- Complications; Subject Term: ACUPRESSURE; Subject Term: ACUPUNCTURE points; Subject Term: ANALYSIS of covariance; Subject Term: CHRONIC kidney failure; Subject Term: EAR; Subject Term: ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay; Subject Term: HEMODIALYSIS; Subject Term: HISTAMINE; Subject Term: RESEARCH -- Finance; Subject Term: SAMPLING (Statistics); Subject Term: STATISTICS; Subject Term: T-test (Statistics); Subject Term: UREMIA; Subject Term: DATA analysis; Subject Term: RANDOMIZED controlled trials; Subject Term: VISUAL analog scale; Subject Term: TREATMENT effectiveness; Subject Term: DATA analysis -- Software; Subject Term: SYMPTOMS; Subject Term: ; Geographic Subject: CHINA; Geographic Subject: ; Number of Pages: 8p; ; Illustrations: 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart, 3 Graphs; ; Document Type: Article;

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