[Exploratory study of moxibustion in prevention and treatment of prehypertension in perimenopausal women].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of moxibustion (moxibustion for benefiting the marrow and nourishing the heart) in sequential trial on blood pressure (BP), perimenopausal symptoms, cardiovascular function and heart rate variability (HRV) in prehypertension in perimenopausal women.

METHODS

The eligible female patients of prehypertension of perimenopausal period were collected according to the inclusion criteria. Based on the requirements of open two-way qualitative response sequential trial, the sample size was not set in advance, and the matched pair design was used for random division into a moxibustion group and a health education group. The patients of the two groups were treated in pairs, and the analysis was immediately performed after the end of treatment for each pair, and the sequential trial analysis (STA) was diagrammed. The health education group provided the health education for prehypertension to the patients according to . In the moxibustion group, beside the health education for prehypertension, the non-suppurative moxibustion was delivered at Baihui (GV20), Guanyuan (CV4) and bilateral Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36), once every two days, 3 treatments per week and for 4 consecutive weeks. Before treatment, in 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, as well as in 1-month follow-up after treatment, BP was measured in each group, separately. Before treatment and in 4 weeks of treatment, the observation was performed in the score of the modified Kupperman scale, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score, the indexes of cardiovascular function (stroke volume [SV], cardiac output per minute [CO], stroke index [SI], cardiac index [CI], left ventricular effective pumping force [VPE], left ventricular energy efficiency [EWK], arterial compliance [AC], left ventricular ejection resistance [VER], blood viscosity (N), and microcirculation half update rate [MHR]), and heart rate variability (HRV) indexes (low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF], LF/HF, standard deviation of NN interval [SDNN], root mean square of successive differences in adjacent NN intervals [RMSSD]).

RESULTS

Based on sequential test line, when the trial was performed to the 17th pair, and the test line touched the upper limit , meaning the results of the moxibustion group was superior to the health education group, thus, the trial stopped immediately. In 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and in follow-up, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were lower when compared with those before treatment in the moxibustion group (<0.05); SBP at each time point and DBP in 2 and 4 weeks of treatment in the moxibustion group were lower than those of the health education group (<0.05). After treatment, the score of the modified Kupperman scale was reduced when compared with that before treatment in the moxibustion group (<0.05). The score of the modified Kupperman scale and PSQI in the moxibustion group were lower than those of the health education group after treatment (<0.05). After treatment, SV, CO, SI, CI and EWK were increased in comparison with the indexes before treatment in the moxibustion group (<0.05), and VER and N were dropped (<0.05). After treatment, SV, CO, SI, CI and EWK in the moxibustion group were higher than those of the health education group (<0.05), and VER and N were lower (<0.05). After treatment, in the moxibustion group, LF, HF, SDNN and RMSSD were increased in comparison with those before treatment (<0.05), and LF/HF was declined (<0.05). In the health education group, after treatment, LF, HF, SDNN and RMSSD decreased when compared with those before treatment (<0.05). After treatment, LF, HF, SDNN and RMSSD in the moxibustion group were higher than those of the health education group (<0.05), and LF/HF was lower (<0.05). The total effective rate was 94.1% (16/17) in the moxibustion group, higher than that (41.2%, 7/17) in the health education group (<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Moxibustion can reduce SBP and DBP in prehypertension of perimenopausal women, alleviate perimenopausal symptoms, improve cardiac function and adjust the overall balance of cardiac autonomic nerves.