Effects of Acupuncture on Quality of Life and Pain in Patients with Venous Ulcers

Maria De Lourdes Guarnieri Barbosa Bueno¹, Geraldo Magela Salomé²* and Lydia Masako Ferreira³

Received: August 11, 2018;   Published: August 24, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.08.001641

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Abstract

Objective: To assess quality of life and pain in patients with venous leg ulcers treated with acupuncture.

Design: A multicenter, prospective, comparative, descriptive, controlled trial was conducted between May 2013 and April 2014.

Settings: Three health care facilities in Brazil

Patients: Eighty consecutive patients with venous leg ulcers were allocated to either the AC group (acupuncture treatment, n = 40) or control group (conservative treatment, n = 40). Most patients in both groups were women, Caucasians and smokers, with no significant differences between groups. The majority of patients had the ulcer from 6-10 years. Main Outcome Measures: Quality of life and pain were assessed at inclusion and after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment using the Flanagan Quality of Life Scale (FQOLS) and a visual analog scale (VAS), respectively.

Results: After 3 weeks of treatment, VAS pain scores were significantly lower in the AC group compared with controls (P = 0.028), but not after 6 weeks of treatment (P = 0.597). A significant decrease in mean VAS pain scores (P < 0.001) was found in the AC group at 6 weeks (mean, 0.85) compared with baseline (mean, 6.55). Controls had significantly higher FQOLS scores (mean, 90.05) than patients in the AC group (mean, 73.15) at baseline, but not after 6 weeks of treatment (controls’ mean score, 45.76; AC group’s mean score, 85.58; P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Patients treated with acupuncture experienced reduction in pain from baseline and better quality of life than controls after 6 weeks of therapy.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Quality of Life; Pain; Varicose Ulcer; Leg Ulcer

Summary

Effects of acupuncture on quality of life and pain were assessed in 80 venous ulcer patients using the Flanagan Quality of Life Scale and a VAS pain scale. Patients treated with acupuncture experienced reduction in pain from baseline and better quality of life than controls after 6 weeks of therapy

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