[The relations between acupuncture analgesia and changes of concentration of serum metallic ion]

Forty patients treated by thyroidectomy received superficial cervical plexus block or electric acupuncture stimulation of acupoint Hegu and Neiguan bilaterally. All patients were random divided into groups of C, A1, A2 and A3 on the basis of anesthetic method. Every patients were measured their serum concentration of Na+, K+, Ca++, Cu++, Mg++ and Zn++ before and during anesthesia or electric acupuncture stimulation and postoperation. There was no difference about analgesic effect of four groups (P greater than 0.05). Serum Ca++ concentration reduced various level during electric acupuncture stimulation (P less than 0.05-0.01), but no difference between group A1 and group A2 (P greater than 0.05). The results showed: 1. It made level of serum Ca++ reduced because internal environment of patients were affected by the signal of acupuncture. 2. There was no addition effect for the influence of serum Ca++ when electric acupuncture stimulated points Hegu and Neiguan at the same time intravenous injected Pethedine (1.3 mg/kg). 3. It probably disturbed the value of serum Ca++ concentration when intravenous injected 5% Glucose during the operation, but it had not influence on analgesic effect. 4. Acupuncture probably made concentration of serum Na+, Cu++, Mg++ and Zn++ changed which had statistical difference but with marked irregular figure, the real causes are worth going further into research in future.