Research on acupuncture treatment of chronic stable angina by Chinese scholars

Editor Group of TMRNon-Drug Therapy

Chronic stable angina(CSA)is the main symptom of myocardial ischemia,which is associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events and sudden cardiac death[1].In China,patients with CSA are mainly treated with anti-angina drugs,and some patients are also treated with percutaneous coronary intervention[2].Acupuncture has a long history as adjunctive therapy for CSA,especially in relieving symptoms of myocardial ischemia,improving cardiac function,and preventing recurrence[3].There have also been randomized controlled studies reported,but the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of CSA still lack of strong evidence support due to insufficient sample size and low quality of the research[4].

The team of Professor Liang Fanrong from Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine has completed relevant research on the above issues and published relevant results inJAMAInternalMedicine[4].In this 20-week randomized clinical trial,404 participants were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture on the acupoints on the disease-affected meridian,receive acupuncture on the acupoints on the nonaffected meridian,receive sham acupuncture,and receive no acupuncture(wait list group)[4].Participants were 35 to 80 years of age with chronic stable angina based on the criteria of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association,with angina occurring at least twice weekly[4].Acupuncture was safely administered in patients with mild to moderate CSA.Compared with the nonaffected meridian,sham acupuncture,and wait list groups,adjunctive acupuncture on the disease-affected meridian showed superior benefits in CSA treatment within 16 weeks.Acupuncture should be considered as one option for adjunctive treatment in alleviating angina[4].

The above research not only provides a scientific basis for the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of knee CSA,but also indicates that the quality and level of clinical research on acupuncture in China hasbeen increasingly recognized internationally,and has a positive effect on the modernization and internationalization of acupuncture[4,5].