[Effects of hand acupuncture therapy on sleep quality in sleep disrupted adults: verification by polysomnography and cerebral blood flow test].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of hand acupuncture therapy on sleep quality by means of a sleep questionnaire, polysomnography and a cerebral blood flow test in 30-59 year old adults.


METHODS
The study was a sham controlled design. Twenty-two adults were assigned to the pellet stimulating group (11) or sham group (11). The pellet stimulating group received hand acupuncture therapy using New Seoam Press Pellets number 1 for 4 weeks. On the other hand, the sham group used the same Adhesive tape in terms of shape, size and quality as New Seoam Press Pellets number 1 for 4 weeks. A Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography and Carotid Duplex Ultrasonography examination were used for evaluating cerebral blood flow. Data was analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 version program with chi(2)-test, Fisher's exact test and Mann Whitney U-test.


RESULTS
In the pellet stimulating group, subjective sleep quality significantly improved more than that of the sham group. Among the sleep indices of the polysomnography, total sleep time and sleep latency of the sham group significantly improved. The cerebral blood flow test didn't show any differences.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that hand acupuncture therapy is effective for subjective sleep improvement only, not polysomnographical sleep indices and cerebral blood flow.
Hwang
Eun-Hee
EH
College of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, Korea. ehh0104@ewha.ac.kr
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012107:Research Design; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial