Prolonged mechanical ventilation patients receiving Acupuncture treatment for improving the respiratory status

Abstract

Background: Ventilators mode choiceful and pulmonary rehabilitation are useful for improving prolonged mechanical ventilation patients respiratory status, however,application of integration of Chinese and Western medicine, especially Acupuncture treatment for these patients are less performance.

Aim and objects: We present study aimed to determine the effect of acupuncture on respiratory indices in patients uderwent mechanical ventilation in Respiratory Care Center(RCC) who down transfer from ICU.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in RCC of Taiwan middle medical center. Eighty patients were recruited and underwent hemodynamic stable, GCS>9 and eligible for more than 21 days mechanical ventilation, The following 8 standardised acupuncture points were selected according to previous research: lung meridian, LU5; large intestine meridian, LI4 ; conception vessel, CV4; stomach meridian, ST36、37、39;liver meridian, LR3;pericardium, PC6; and spleen meridian, SP6, sustain 20 minutes and six-a week for 2 weeks that before and immediately after acupuncture were extracted from the medical records

Results: The mean age was 60.8 yrs and median number of days on MV before acupuncture initiation was 23.5 days. PI max and PE max were significantly increased immediately after acupuncture (all p < 0.001), whereas RSBI and Csta were significantly decreased (all p < 0.05). 57 patients were successfully weaned(71 %) from MV after acupuncture initiation above weaning rate of RCC in Taiwan

Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment might have beneficial effects on the respiratory status of RCC patients receiving MV and may help in weaning from prolonged MV