[Randomized controlled clinical trials of acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of acupuncture on the fatigue degree in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).


METHODS
Seventy CFS patients were equally randomized into control and treatment groups according to randomized block design. Acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), etc., for patients in treatment group, and to non-acupoints (2 cm respectively to the abovementioned acupoints) for those in control group. The treatment was given once every other day, 14 times altogether. The fatigue degree and the therapeutic effect were assessed by Chalder's fatigue scale (FS).


RESULTS
A total of 64 cases (32/group) were finished in this study. After the treatment, the physical FS (5.0 +/- 2.4 vs 6.8 +/- 1.5), mental FS (1.8 +/-1.8 vs 3.1 +/- 1.5) and the total FS (6.8 +/- 3.8 vs 9.9 +/- 2.5) in treatment group, physical FS (5.0 +/- 2.5 vs 6.4 +/- 1.5) and the total FS (7.5 +/- 3.4 vs 9.6 +/- 2.8) in control group decreased significantly compared with pre-treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). There was no marked change in mental FS (2.5 +/- 11.6 vs 3.2 +/- 11.6) in control group after the treatment (P > 0.05). Comparison between two groups showed no significant differences in the 3 indexes (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture can relieve CFS patients' physical and mental fatigue and the therapeutic effect of acupuncture of acupoints is relatively better than that of non-acupoints in reducing mental fatigue.
Wang
Jing-Jing
JJ
Institute of Acu-moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China. wjj751@sina.com
Song
Yu-Jing
YJ
Wu
Zhong-Chao
ZC
Chu
Xiao-Ou
XO
Wang
Qiao-Mei
QM
Wang
Xiao-Jie
XJ
Wei
Li-Na
LN
Meng
Hong
H
Wang
Xiao-Hong
XH
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged