[Effects of acupuncture on the pulmonary function and heart rate variability in different state of bronchial asthma]

To observe the underlying mechanism of acupuncture technique for ventilating the lung, invigorating the spleen and tonifying the kidney in the treatment of bronchial asthma (or asthma for short).

According to the severity of the disease during the persistent stage and paracmasis, 71 outpatients and inpatients were randomized into treatment group (n = 40) and control group (n = 31). Patients of treatment group were treated with acupuncture of Quchi (LI 11), Lieque (LU 7), Yuji (LU 10), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), etc., once daily and those of control group treated with anti-asthma drugs as Cromolyn sodium, Albuterol, fenoterol, etc. Before and after 12 days of the treatment, heart rate variability (HRV) and pulmonary function were detected respectively.

In paracmasis and mild type asthma patients, self-comparison indicated that after the treatment, total power (TP), very low frequency (VLF), triangular index (TI) and the percentage of the adjacent R-R intervals (PNN50) of HRV, and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (% PRED), forced expiratory flow (FEF) 0.2-1.2 (L/s), FEF(75%-85%) (L/s), peak expiratory flow (PEF) (% PRED), FEF(25%) (% PRED) in treatment group increased significantly (P < 0.05, 0.01), while no significant changes of various components of both HRV and pulmonary function were found in control group (P > 0.05). Comparison between two groups showed that after the treatment, the values of TP, VLF, TI and PNN50 of HRV, and FVC (% PRED), FEV1 (% PRED), FEV1/FVC (% PRED), FEF(0.2-1.2), FEF(25%-75%), PEF (% PRED) and FEF(25%) (% PRED) in treatment group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). In moderate and severe type asthma patients, self-comparison showed that after the treatment, TP, LF, LFnorm, VLF, LF/HF, VLF/HF, (LF + VLF)/HF, TI and PNN50 of HRV, and FVC (% PRED), FEV1 (% PRED), FEV1/FVC (% PRED), FEF(0.2-1.2), FEF(25%-75%) (% PRED), FEF(75%-85%), PEF (% PRED), FEF25% (% PRED) , FEF(50%) (%PRED and FEF(75%) (% PRED) of the pulmonary function all increased remarkably (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001); while in comparison with control group, LF, LFnorm, VLF, (LF + VLF)/HF and TI of HRV, and all the parameters of the pulmonary function except FEV1/FVC were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001). No significant changes of various components of both HRV and pulmonary function were found in control group (P > 0.05).

Acupuncture is significantly superior to medication in improving the pulmonary function of asthma patients with different state of disease, which is related to its function in regulating activities of the autonomic nervous system.