The effect of electroacupuncture at the MA-IC 3 endocrine ear acupoint on fasting blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Abstract

The management of diabetes mellitus (DM) involves education, nutritional intervention, and physical exercise, in addition to pharmacological interventions, with the long-term goal of preventing complications through the control of blood glucose levels. Several studies have shown that acupuncture, both conventional acupuncture and electroacupuncture, is useful for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with DM. This study aimed to determine the additional effect of electroacupuncture at the MA-IC 3 Endocrine ear acupoint on fasting blood glucose levels in patients with Type 2 DM who were receiving oral hypoglycemic agents at Banjar General Hospital. In this randomized controlled study, fifty-four study participants who were being treated with oral antidiabetics were allocated into two groups, receiving either electroacupuncture (EA) at the MA-IC 3 ear acupoint with dense disperse wave for 30 minutes or acupuncture at the same point and for the same duration but without EA (No EA). Fasting blood glucose levels were measured before and after the intervention. In Group A (EA), the mean fasting blood glucose (FBG) level decreased from 157.26±24.485 to 142.59±26.771 (p < 0.05), whereas in Group B (No EA), the mean FBG decreased from 149.67±21.485 to 148.74±21.326 (p < 0.05). The difference in the amount of FBG decrease between Group A (EA) and Group B (No EA) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). EA at the MA-IC 3 Endocrine lowers FBG levels to a greater degree than acupuncture with no EA in patients with type 2 DM.