Effectiveness and safety of auricular acupoint bloodletting in treatment of insomnia: an assessor-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of auricular acupoint bloodletting in treatment of insomnia

METHODS

Participants (n = 60) with insomnia were randomized into two groups to receive treatment of auricular acupoint bloodletting: low frequency group, 1 times/week for five weeks (n = 30); high frequency group, 2times/week for two weeks (n = 30). The following outcomes were measured blindly at baseline, after first treatment, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks: Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale (PSQI).

RESULTS

The groups were balanced at baseline for insomnia and demographic characteristics. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of any of the outcomes, at the first follow-up time point. However, the therapeutic effect of LFG (once per week) is obviously lower than that of HFG (twice per week). In addition, there was no significant difference in the side effects between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The treatment of insomnia with different frequencies of auricular acupoint bloodletting is effective and has less side effects. More reasonable treatment frequencies are worth further study.