title: Acupuncture Point Laterality: Investigation of Acute Effects of Quchi (LI11) in Patients with Hypertension Using Heart Rate Variability.
abstract: Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease worldwide. Over 70% of the patients use antihypertensive drugs, so nonpharmacological treatments in addition to the medication are important. Our goal was to investigate acupuncture treatment on the Quchi acupoint using heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) and to find out whether there is a laterality in acute effects. Sixty hypertensive patients (36 female, 24 male; mean age ± SD 55.8 ± 9.7 years) were randomly assigned to two manual needle acupuncture groups (group A: left Quchi (LI11) acupoint, group B: right Quchi acupoint). There was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in HR immediately after inserting and stimulating the needle at the left and the right Quchi acupuncture point. In contrast, total HRV increased immediately after inserting the needle, but this increase was significant only towards the end of the stimulation phase and after removing the needle. There were some differences between stimulation of the left and right Quchi acupoint, but they remained insignificant. This study provides evidence that there is a beneficial effect on heart rate variability in patients with hypertension and that there are some effects of laterality of the acupoint Quchi.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria ; Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6287-0130
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Litscher
authors.affiliation: The First Hospital Affiliated to Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: The First Hospital Affiliated to Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Yu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria ; Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1511-7108
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Medicine of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1883-3521
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Litscher
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9496-2213
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gaischek
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria ; Privatklinik Laßnitzhöhe, 8301 Laßnitzhöhe, Austria.
authors.forename: Zemin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China.
authors.forename: Haixue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuang