A Randomized Controlled Trial of Autonomic Remodeling by Sympathovagal Modulation Using Acupuncture in Coronary Heart Disease Patients

Puja K. Mehta MD1, Donna Polk MD MPH2, Ning Li PhD3, Jeannette Painovich DAOM L.Ac1, Kamlesh Kothawade MBBS1, Joan Kirschner RN1, Yi Qiao1, Xiuling Ma PhD1, Yii-Der Ida Chen PhD4, Anna Brantman DAOM, LAc1, Chrisandra Shufelt MD MS1, Margo Minissian NP1, C. Noel Bairey Merz MD1 1Women’s Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA; 2Division of Cardiology, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT; 3Biostatistics Core, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; 4Molecular Biochemistry and Steroid Chemistry Laboratory, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.

Abstract:

We conducted a randomized, single-blind trial of traditional acupuncture (TA) vs. sham acupuncture (SA) vs. waiting control (WC) in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients to evaluate cardiac autonomic remodeling by sympatovagal modulation measured by heart rate variability (HRV) using traditional acupuncture. Compared to SA, TA beneficially modulates HRV in a clinically relevant effect size for prevention of sudden cardiac death. These data document feasibility and provide sample size estimation for an outcome-based clinical trial of TA in CHD patients.

Professionals of the Tower Acupuncture Group are excited about this new study of acupuncture in coronary heart disease patients. There is increasing evidence of how it saves people’s lives.