[Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture on refractory insomnia: a randomized controlled trial]

To compare the therapeutic effect of Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture, conventional acupuncture and oral estazolam tablet on refractory insomnia.

A total of 180 patients with refractory insomnia were randomized into a Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture group, a conventional acupuncture group and a medication group, 60 cases in each group. In the Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture group, Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Waiguan (TE 5), Neiguan (PC 6), Weishu (BL 21), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Taixi (KI 3); in the conventional acupuncture group, conventional acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zhaohai (KI 6), Shenmai (BL 62) and Anmian (Extra). Supplementary acupoints were added according to different patterns in the two acupuncture groups, and the treatment was given once a day, 7 times as one course and 4 courses were required. In the medication groups, estazolam was taken orally 1 h before sleep, 1 mg each time, once a day for 4 weeks. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score was observed before and after treatment and the therapeutic effect was evaluated in the 3 groups.

The total effective rates in the Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture group and the conventional acupuncture group were 90.0% (54/60) and 83.3% (50/60), which were superior to 30.0% (18/60) in the medication group (both P<0.05). Compared before treatment, the PSQI scores were significantly reduced in the two acupuncture groups (all P<0.05), the sleep efficiency and the total score of PSQI were reduced in the medication group (both P<0.05). After treatment, the changes of sleep latency, sleep efficiency, sleep disorder, daytime function and total score of PSQI in the Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture group were significantly larger than those in the conventional acupuncture group (all P<0.05). The changes of PSQI scores in the Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture group were significantly larger than the medication group (all P<0.05). The changes of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time, sleep disorder, daytime function and total score of PSQI in the conventional acupuncture group were significantly larger than the medication group (all P<0.05).

The therapeutic effect of Yinyang Ruyin acupuncture on refractory insomnia is superior to estazolam and conventional acupuncture.