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. 2020 Sep 25:2020:3748056.
doi: 10.1155/2020/3748056. eCollection 2020.

Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Combined with Auricular Point Pressing in Improving Mental Well-Being among Individuals with Heroin Use Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial and Pilot Study

Kai-Chiang Yu  1   2 , Han-Ting Wei  3 , Shang-Chih Chang  1   2 , Chung-Hua Hsu  1   2
Affiliations

Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Combined with Auricular Point Pressing in Improving Mental Well-Being among Individuals with Heroin Use Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial and Pilot Study

Kai-Chiang Yu et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of combining electroacupuncture with auricular point pressing in improving quality of life of individuals with heroin use disorder undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.

Design: A randomized controlled crossover trial.

Subjects: 50 participants were recruited from Taipei City Hospital, Linsen Chinese Medicine and Kunming branches, and randomly allocated to treatment groups.

Method: The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used. Group A received electroacupuncture at the Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli (ST36) and auricular point pressing on Ear Shenmen, and Group B received only auricular point pressing on Ear Shenmen biweekly for 4 weeks. After a 1-week washout period, crossover of the groups was performed.

Results: The SF-36 mental component scores of the combined treatment group improved relative to the single treatment group (11.09 vs. 10.33, p=0.023). Methadone dosage was reduced in both groups (combined therapy group: 8.58 ± 4.17/7.76 ± 4.11 (baseline/posttreatment) vs. single therapy group: 8.36 ± 4.20/8.30 ± .28, p=0.001).

Conclusion: Combined therapy of high-frequency electroacupuncture with auricular point pressing had better efficacy in enhancing quality of life, especially for mental well-being, and in gradually reducing methadone dosage.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant flowchart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Physicalcomponentscore (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of combined therapy group and single therapy group. Note: ∗p < 0.05; ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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