Acupuncture increases parasympathetic tone, modulating HRV - Systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Integrative and Complementary Medicine
• Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
• Clinical Trial Analysis

Background:

• Acupuncture's influence on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is increasingly recognized.
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) serves as a key indicator of autonomic activity.
• This review critically evaluates randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on acupuncture's effect on HRV versus placebo.

Approach:

• A systematic search of EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted.
• Included RCTs focused on body acupoint needle acupuncture without electrical stimulation.
• Data from 9 RCTs were analyzed to assess changes in HRV parameters.

Key Points:

• Verum acupuncture demonstrated significant pre- to post-treatment changes in high-frequency (HF) and LF/HF power spectrum components.
• Sham acupuncture did not yield significant changes in these HRV parameters.
• Real acupuncture appears more effective than placebo in modulating HRV.

Conclusions:

• The meta-analysis indicates that verum acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture in enhancing parasympathetic tone.
• This improvement in parasympathetic activity may contribute to enhanced physical well-being.
• Caution is advised when interpreting findings due to study quality and heterogeneity.