title: [Effect of Acupuncture on Prognosis and Immune Function of Sepsis Patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of acupuncture on the immune function of sepsis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety sepsis patients were assigned to the control group, the thymosin a1 group, and the acupuncture treatment group according to random digit table, 30 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were treated according to the guideline of Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC). Patients in the control group received routine treatment. Those in the thymosin alpha1 group additionally received subdermal injection of thymosin alpha1 (1.6 mg), once per day for 6 successive days. Needling at related points such as Zusanli (ST36), Yanglingquan (GB34), Neiguan (PC6), Guanyuan (RN4), and so on, was performed in patients of the acupuncture treatment group, once per day for 6 successive days. T cell subgroups (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+ /CD8+) and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) were detected. The length of ICU hospital stay, hospital readmission rate, and 28-day mortality were compared among the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After six days of treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, IgM, and CD4+ /CD8+ ratio of three groups were all significantly increased (P < 0.01). Of them, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, and IgM increased more significantly in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the ICU hospitalization length was significantly shortened, the hospital readmission rate and the 28-day mortality were lower in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in each index between the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture could adjust the immune function of sepsis patients, improve their immunological indicators and prognoses.
authors.forename: Qiu-sheng
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Ming-yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xing-sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Meng-hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Zhul
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang Yan
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011379:Prognosis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin