Objective

2

To observe the clinical efficacy of

Daoqi

(directing

qi

flowing) acupuncture technique in

Huangdi Neijing

(

Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic

) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods

2

Sixty patients with moderate-to-severe OSAHS were randomly divided into a Daoqi acupuncture group (30 cases) and a conventional acupuncture group (30 cases

1 case dropped out). In the Daoqi acupuncture group

Daoqi

acupuncture technique in

Huangdi Neijing

was applied at Shanglianquan (Extra)

Fengfu (GV16)

and bilateral Lieque (LU7)

Zhaohai (KI6); in the conventional acupuncture group

conventional acupuncture was applied at Shanglianquan (Extra)

Fengfu (GV16)

Yamen (GV15)

and bilateral Lieque (LU7)

Zhaohai (KI6)

Zusanli (ST36)

Fenglong (ST40). The treatment was adopted once every other day

3 times a week

4 weeks as one course and 3 courses were required totally in both groups. Before and after treatment

the polysomnography (PSG) indexes [apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)

hypopnea index (HI)

apnea index (AI)

longest apnea duration

lowest nocturnal SaO

2

(LSaO

2

)

]

and scores of Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS)

Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI)

World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were observed

and the clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment in the two groups.

Results

2

After treatment

the AHI

HI

AI and longest apnea duration were reduced compared with those before treatment in the two groups (

P

<

0.01)

the LSaO

2

was increased in the Daoqi acupuncture group (

P

<

0.01); in the Daoqi acupuncture group

the AHI

HI

AI and longest apnea duration were lower than those in the conventional acupuncture group (

P

<

0.05)

and the LSaO

2

was higher than that in the conventional acupuncture group (

P

<

0.05). After treatment

the ESS and PSQI scores were decreased compared with those before treatment (

P

<

0.01)

while the WHOQOL-BREF scores were increased compared with those before treatment (

P

<

0.01) in the two groups; in the Daoqi acupuncture group

the ESS and PSQI scores were lower than those in the conventional acupuncture group (

P

<

0.05

P

<

0.01)

and the WHOQOL-BREF score was higher than that in the conventional acupuncture group (

P

<

0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the Daoqi acupuncture group

which was higher than 82.8% (24/29) in the conventional acupuncture group (

P

<

0.01).

Conclusion

2

Daoqi

acupuncture technique in

Huangdi Neijing

can effectively treat moderate-to-severe OSAHS patients

improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life

and has the advantages i.e. simpler acupoints selection and gentler stimulation.