title: Effect of Acu-TENS on post-exercise expiratory lung volume in subjects with asthma-A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: This study examined the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied over acupoints (Acu-TENS) on forced expiratory volume, in patients with asthma, after exercise. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 received Acu-TENS over acupuncture points Lieque and Dingchuan for 45 min prior to a symptom-limited treadmill exercise test. Group 2 had Acu-TENS similarly applied prior to and throughout the exercise test. Group 3 mimicked Group 1 but without any electrical output from the device. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were recorded before, immediately after and at 20-min intervals post-exercise for 1h. Immediately after exercise, FEV(1) and FVC rose in Group 2 (p=0.015), but decreased in Group 1 and more so in Group 3. The differences became even more marked at 20, 40 and 60 min. Adjunctive Acu-TENS therapy appears to reduce decline of FEV(1) following exercise training in patients with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Shirley P C
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: Alice Y M
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Christina W Y
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hui-Chan
authors.forename: Fanny W S
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: David S C
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D014797:Vital Capacity