Clinical application of the thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy on treating insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen among breast cancer patients

Abstract

Objective To explore the clinical therapeutic method and effect of the thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy on treating insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen among breast cancer patients. Methods Totally 80 breast cancer patients with insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen treated in department of oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiao Tong University from March 2018 till November 2018 were selected and assigned into an experiment group and a control group by random number table, 40 cases in each one. The experiment group applied thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy, selecting Shenmen, Sanyinjiao, Zusanli, Anmian as major acupoint and Taibai as assistant acupoint. The control group used fake needles at the same places. After four-week treatment, we evaluated the therapeutic effect using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and observed side effects. Results Before treatment, no significantly statistical differences were observed between the two groups on global and each dimension′s PSQI scores (P>0.05). After treatment, the PSQI scores and PSQI global score of the experiment group on sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction were (1.58±0.53), (1.72±0.33), (1.57±0.64), (1.61±0.68), (1.05±0.42), (1.27±0.53), (8.91±2.73) points respectively, which were (1.86±0.71), (1.90±0.41), (1.85±0.47), (1.97±0.83), (1.42±0.91), (1.56±0.45), (10.86±4.53) points respectively in the control group. There was significant difference between the two groups on PSQI global scores (t=1.998-2.637, P<0.05). The number of patients in the experiment group assessed as clinical cure, obviously effective, effective and noneffective were 8, 13, 9, 10 respectively, which were 1, 5, 12, 22 in the control group respectively. The clinical efficacy showed significant difference between the two groups (χ2=27.68, P<0.01). No side effects, such as infection, needle drop-off and etc. were observed. Conclusions The thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy could improve sleep quality of breast cancer patients with insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen, and it′s easy to operate, safe with little side effects. Key words: Insomnia; Breast neoplasms; Insufficiency of heart and spleen; Thumb-tack needle