[Clinical Trial of Electroacupuncture Treatment for Relieving Stress Responses in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiguan (PC 6) on stress responses of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Methods: A total of 40 patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were randomized into conventional treatment group (control) and EA group (＝20 in each group). Patients of the EA group received conventional treatment (pre- and post-surgical fasting, measures for gastrointestinal decompression, parenteral nutrition support, and patient controlled analgesia pump, etc.) and EA stimulation (2 Hz, 30 min) of bilateral ST 36 and PC 6 (twice after surgery, at an interval of 6 h), and patients of the control group received conventional treatment only. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to assess the patients' pain severity and the blood glucose levels were detected once every 4－6 h within 24 h after operation. Serum cortisol (Cort) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were detected by chemiluminescence method, and serum D-lactic acid level (for assessing gastrointestinal mucosal injury) was assayed by ELISA.

Results: After the treatment, the levels of serum Cort, ACTH, D-lactate acid and the highest blood glucose were significantly lower in the EA group than those in the control group (<0.05, <0.01), suggesting a reduction of stress reactions after EA. But no significant difference was found between the control and EA groups in the VAS score (>0.05).

Conclusion: EA at ST 36 and PC 6 can alleviate stress responses and reduce intestinal mucosal damage in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.