Sphenopalatine Ganglion Acupuncture Improves Nasal Ventilation and Modulates Autonomic Nervous Activity in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Kuiji Wang,Yang Wang,Chengshuo Wang,Luquan Chen,Luo Zhang

doi:10.1038/srep29947

Kuiji Wang, Yang Wang + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29947

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Abstract

The study aimed to assess the effects of Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) acupuncture on nasal ventilation function and autonomic nervous system in health volunteers. 39 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to either active SPG acupuncture group (AA group) or sham-SPG acupuncture group (SA group). All subjects were assessed for self-reported nasal ventilation, nasal patency (nasal airway resistance (NAR) and nasal cavity volume (NCV), exhaled nasal nitric oxide (nNO), and neuropeptides (substance P(SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY)) in nasal secretions at baseline, 30 minutes, 2 hours, and 24 hours after acupuncture. Significantly more subjects in AA group reported improvements in nasal ventilation at all time points after acupuncture, compared to SA group. NAR and NCV were also significantly lower in AA group than SA group. The level of nNO in AA group was significantly decreased after 24 hours compared to SA group. The level of NPY was significantly increased in AA group at 30 minutes and 2 hours compared to baseline and SA group. The levels of SP and VIP were not significantly different in the two groups. We concluded that SPG acupuncture could help to improve nasal ventilation by increasing sympathetic nerve excitability in healthy volunteers.

Highlights

The study aimed to assess the effects of Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) acupuncture on nasal ventilation function and autonomic nervous system in health volunteers. 39 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to either active sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) acupuncture group (AA group) or sham-SPG acupuncture group (SA group)
The level of NPY in the SA group was increased significantly at only 30 minutes after treatment compared to baseline (6.64 ± 1.02 vs. 5.65 ± 0.91, P = 0.011)(Table 3 and Fig. 4A–C). This is the first randomized, controlled study to investigate the effect of SPG acupuncture on nasal ventilation and patency and suggests that SPG acupuncture may significantly improve self-reported nasal ventilation and nasal patency, as indicated by objective measurements of nasal airway resistance (NAR) and nasal cavity volume (NCV), in healthy volunteers
SPG acupuncture may significantly decrease the levels of exhaled nNO and increase the level of NPY; but not levels of VIP and SP in nasal secretions, of these individuals

Summary

Introduction

The study aimed to assess the effects of Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) acupuncture on nasal ventilation function and autonomic nervous system in health volunteers. 39 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to either active SPG acupuncture group (AA group) or sham-SPG acupuncture group (SA group). The study aimed to assess the effects of Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) acupuncture on nasal ventilation function and autonomic nervous system in health volunteers. More subjects in AA group reported improvements in nasal ventilation at all time points after acupuncture, compared to SA group. The level of NPY was significantly increased in AA group at 30 minutes and 2 hours compared to baseline and SA group. We concluded that SPG acupuncture could help to improve nasal ventilation by increasing sympathetic nerve excitability in healthy volunteers. Two recent studies have indicated that stimulation of sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) by acupuncture can improve nasal symptoms and quality of life in nasal inflammatory diseases[10,15]; www.nature.com/scientificreports/. The anticipated effect would be increased nasal cavity volume and decreased nasal airflow resistance

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