Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
Acupuncture in a Rat Model of Asthma
Published on: August 25, 2020
Effects of acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on children with asthma
Chia Hsien Lin1, Mei-Hua Wang, Hsueh-Yu Chung
1Department of Nursing, Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Insights
Acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (AL-TENS) improved activity in children with asthma but did not significantly affect pulmonary function. Further research on treatment frequency and long-term effects is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Integrative Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition affecting children worldwide.
- Current treatments aim to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
- Non-pharmacological interventions are being explored for asthma management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (AL-TENS) in pediatric asthma patients.
- To assess the impact of AL-TENS on pulmonary function, heart rate dynamics, and quality of life.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 43 children diagnosed with asthma.
- Experimental group received 8 weeks of AL-TENS; control group did not.
- Outcome measures included pulmonary function tests (PFTs), heart rate turbulence (HRT), heart rate variability (HRV), and the Pediatric Asthma Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ).
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in PFTs (FVC, FEV₁/FVC, PEFs) or HRV between groups after 8 weeks.
- The experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in heart rate turbulence (HRT) from pretest to posttest.
- The PAQLQ activity subscale demonstrated significant improvement in the AL-TENS group compared to baseline.
Conclusions:
- AL-TENS may enhance the quality of life, specifically activity levels, in children with stable asthma.
- The lack of significant changes in PFTs and HRV might be related to the stable asthma status of participants.
- Future studies should explore optimal treatment frequency and long-term outcomes of AL-TENS for pediatric asthma.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (AL-TENS) on children with asthma.
Methods:
After an 8-week run-in period, the experimental group were assigned to treatment with AL-TENS, whereas the control group did not receive AL-TENS. A total of 43 children with asthma were recruited from a hospital and an elementary school. All the cases had been diagnosed as having asthma by physicians. The outcome measures included pulmonary function tests (PFTs), heart rate turbulence (HRT), heart rate variability (HRV), and pediatric asthma quality-of-life questionnaire (PAQLQ).
Results:
After 8 weeks of AL-TENS, there were no significant differences on forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV₁/FVC, and peak expiratory flows (PEFs) between the two groups. The HRT is the physiological, biphasic response of the sinus node to premature ventricular contractions. In the experimental group, the mean HRT was statistically significant between pretest and posttest. The HRV and the PAQLQ showed no difference, but in the experimental group, the subscale of the PAQLQ (particularly activity) improved significantly more than the pretest scores. Furthermore, there were no differences in PFTs and HRV after 8 weeks of AL-TENS between the two groups.
Conclusions:
The PAQLQ activities of the experimental group improved significantly more than those of the control group. Reasons may include: 1) the asthma cases were stable and the cases were on stable status and 2) the degree of airway remodeling was less. It is suggested that in the future, treatment frequency and the long-term follow-up for evaluating the effects of AL-TENS on children with asthma should also be considered.
