title: Effects of auricular stimulation in the cavum conchae on glucometabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of auricular stimulation in cavum conchae on the glycemic control for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one cases were treated with auricular electrical stimulator in the cavum choncha for 30 min, once daily for consecutive 3 months. The changes on the fasting plasma glucose (FBG), 2-h postprandial blood glucose after a 75 g oral glucose load (P2BG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), total cholesterol (TC) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were compared before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of the HbA1c was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and there were also statistically significant decreases in BUN, SCr, TC and AST after the treatment (P<0.05). A few patients (n=7) reduced the dose of the hypoglycemic agents in response to repeated hypoglycemia during the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The stimulation in the cavum conchae of patients with types 2 diabetes mellitus may help decrease HbA1c, BUN, SCr, TC and AST, and may be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Peking University of Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: juyanlihk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Peking University of Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China; Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China; Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Miaoling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Peking University of Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Peking University of Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Peking University of Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Honglei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jingfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ng Yuen
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055097:Auriculotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Auricular therapy; Cavum conchae; Diabetes; FBG; HbA1c