Clinical effect of auricular acupuncture in anxiety levels of students prior to the exams: A randomized controlled trial

Effect of Comprehensive Nursing on Pain Relief, Comfort and Burden of Family Care of Infantile Anal Fistula

Objective

To explore the effect of comprehensive nursing on pain relief, comfort and burden of family care of infantile anal fistula.

Methods

This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. A total of 106 cases of children with anal fistula from January 2021 to December 2021 were selected and divided into observation group and control group, there were 53 cases in each group. The control group were underwent with routine nursing intervention. The observation group were underwent with video health education, peer support, music relaxation training, physiotherapy and auricular point pressing on the basis of routine nursing therapy and other measures (comprehensive nursing). The wound healing time, comfort score, complication rate and family care burden of two groups were compared.

Results

After intervention, the scores of pain degree in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (4.02 ± 0.85 vs 5.89 ± 2.36, p < 0.05), and the scores of comfort degree in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (70.23 ± 5.98 vs 46.88 ± 5.23, p < 0.05). After intervention, the wound healing time of the observation group was shorter than that of the control group (3.98 ± 0.63 vs 5.77 ± 1.02, p < 0.05), and the crying times of the observation group were less than that of the control group (1.22 ± 0.26 vs 4.02 ± 0.48, p < 0.05). After intervention, the total scores of family members' care load in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (37.26 ± 4.78 vs 55.99 ± 5.02, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Comprehensive nursing can effectively promote wound healing in infantile anal fistula, reduce pain, prompt children's comfort, reduce the number of children crying, and reduce the burden of care for children's families.

The Effect of Auriculotherapy on Anxiety and Physiological Parameters of Male Coronary Angiography Patients: A Single-blind Randomized Clinical Trial

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of auriculotherapy on anxiety and physiological parameters of male patients undergoing coronary angiography.

DESIGN

A single-blind randomized clinical trial was performed in 2019 with 94 subjects selected by convenience sampling.

METHODS

The subjects were divided into 2 groups via random allocation. Two hours before angiography, all patients completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21) and their physiological parameters (blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate) were measured 60 minutes before angiography. Auriculotherapy was performed on ear acupoints of patients in the experimental group for 4 minutes. In the control group, patients were given auricular acupressure in sham points. The anxiety and physiological parameters were re-measured 10 minutes after the intervention.

FINDINGS

Patients' anxiety was clinically lower in the experimental group (2.55 ± 0.27) compared to the control group (3.02 ± 0.33) (effect size = -1.42) after the intervention. There was no significant difference between 2 groups regarding physiological parameters after the intervention. However, the respiratory rates of patients were lower in the experimental group than in the control group (P < .001). After the intervention, physiological parameters significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to before the intervention (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Auriculotherapy reduces patient anxiety; therefore, it can be used as a complementary method before angiography.

The Effect of Auriculotherapy on Situational Anxiety Trigged by Examinations: A Randomized Pilot Trial

Background: Auriculotherapy may activate the parasympathetic nerve system and reduce anxiety levels. Short-term auriculotherapy’s effects and safety on university students’ anxiety levels was assessed prior to exams. Methods: A randomized, controlled pilot trial was conducted. The day before the exam, university students were randomly allocated to the auriculotherapy group (AA, n = 13) or the waiting-list group (WG, n = 13). Baseline measures were taken 4 weeks before the exam at Time point (TP 0); at 7.30 a.m. on the day before the exam (TP I); at 11 a.m. before auriculotherapy (TP II); 30 min after AA (TP III); and at 7.30 a.m. before the exam (TP IV). The outcomes were the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI); quality of night-sleep, Visual Analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety, and salivary cortisol. Adverse events were also recorded. Results: A total of 26 students participated in this study and became more anxious as assessed by STAI in TPII (p = 0.002) and TPIV (p = 0.000) than TP0. AA reduced the STAI in TPIII (p = 0.045) and PIV (p = 0.001) and the VAS (p = 0.012) in TPIV. Cortisol was reduced in TPIII (p = 0.004), and the AA slept better (p = 0.014) at TPIV. Discomfort at the auricular site was reported in only one AA participant. Conclusions: Auriculotherapy appeared safe and effective in reducing anxiety levels before university exams.

Effects of auriculotherapy on stress, anxiety and depression in adults and older adults: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To identify evidence in scientific literature about the effects of auriculotherapy for treating stress, anxiety and depression in adults and older adults by analyzing the main protocols for applying the intervention.

METHOD

A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Detailed individual search strategies were applied in February 2019 in the BDENF, CINAHL, Cochrane, CUMED, Embase, LILACS, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus, Segunda Opinião Formativa (SOF) and Web of Science databases. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Jadad Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 24 from the 859 articles found comprised the study sample. Of these, 22 (92%) showed a positive effect of auriculotherapy for stress, anxiety or depression.

CONCLUSION

The available evidence on the effects of auriculotherapy on stress, anxiety and depression proves the effectiveness of the technique in adults and older adults. However, the studies showed methodological weaknesses. Although the identified protocols are different, there are frequent similar points including Shenmen, Kidney, Autonomic Nervous System, Heart, Brain Stem and Liver 1 and 2 which can be used in new studies.