Effects of electro-acupuncture on T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of electro-acupuncture on T cell subpopulations, natural killer cell (NK) activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count in patients undergoing chemotherapy.


METHODS
Electro-acupuncture was added for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Tests were done on T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count before treatment and after 4 courses of treatment.


RESULTS
After 4 courses of treatment with chemotherapy and electro-acupuncture, no obvious changes were found in T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count (P > 0.05) as compared with those before treatment. Patients undergoing chemotherapy combined with electro-acupuncture showed obviously higher leukocyte count than that of the control group given no leukogenic drugs (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Electro-acupuncture may reduce immunologic damage caused by chemotherapy, thus it can be used as the auxiliary therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Ye
Fang
F
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
Liu
Deshan
D
Wang
Shuli
S
Xu
Lan
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents