title: Effect of electroacupuncture in postanesthetic shivering during regional anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Shivering during regional anesthesia is a common complication and is related to a decrease in the patient's core body temperature. Previous studies have shown that acupuncture on specific acupoints can preserve core body temperature. The present study evaluated the effect of electroacupuncture in preventing the shivering caused by regional anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective and randomized controlled study analyzed the data from 80 patients undergoing urological surgery, who were classified as ASA I or II. Spinal anesthesia was performed in all patients using 15 mg of bupivacaine. The patients were randomly allocated to receive either placebo acupuncture (Group P, n=40) or electroacupuncture (Group A, n=40) for 30 min before administration of spinal anesthesia. Shivering score was recorded at 5 min intervals, with 0 representing no shivering and 4 representing the most severe shivering possible. Heart rate, blood pressure, and tympanic temperature were recorded before the intrathecal injection, and again every 5 min thereafter until 30 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After spinal anesthesia, the decrease in tympanic temperature was less for Group A patients than Group P, with the difference being statistically significant. After 15 min, 13 patients in Group P attained a shivering score of 3 or more, compared with 3 patients in Group A. Significantly more patients in Group P attained a shivering score of at least 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prophylactic use of electroacupuncture might maintain core body temperature, and may effectively prevent the shivering that commonly develops during regional anesthesia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000096853.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bo-Yan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jyun-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: I-Ting
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Wei-Jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Yung-Fong
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chee-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Huang-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D002045:Bupivacaine; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012768:Shivering / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine