雷射針灸與傳統針刺對失眠的療效比較：一隨機對照試驗

A Comparison of the Therapeutic Effect between Laser Acupuncture and Traditional Acupuncture on Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

比較雷射針灸與傳統針刺對於失眠的療效。此研究選用隨機分組及資料分析者不知組別之臨床研究模式，十四位受測者接受傳統針刺、十三位接受雷射針灸、另十三位接受偽雷射針灸。所有受測者都接受每週三次，持續四周的療程，治療穴位為雙側神門及太衝。雷射針灸以鎵鋁砷“治立安雷射“ 在各穴位輸出0.375焦耳能量，治療時間5秒鐘。評估療效方式包含心率變異度（HRV）、流行病學研究中心之憂鬱量表（CESD）、嗜睡量表（ESS）和匹茲堡睡眠品質指標（PSQI），評量時間為療程前後。結果傳統針刺組及雷射針灸組之PSQI量表分數於治療後有顯著的減低（傳：p=0.021、雷：p<0.001），但在對照組則無顯著差異（p=0.127）；HRV、CESD和ESS 量表分數於治療前後無顯著差異。以事後檢定得知，雷射針灸組與對照組之間於治療前後的PSQI量表分數降低程度有顯著差異（p=0.015）。雷射針灸及傳統針刺似乎可改善失眠患者之睡眠品質，但兩者沒有明顯優劣，未來應有納入更多受測者之研究來評估針灸治療失眠的療效。

In a randomized controlled, assessor-blinded clinical trial, 14 patients were treated with traditional acupuncture, 13 patients received laser acupuncture and 13 patients received sham laser acupuncture. Each patient received three sessions per week for four weeks on bilateral HT7 and LR3. The laser acupuncture therapy was performed with the Handylaser Trion (GaAlAs laser diode, 810 nm, 150 mW, pulsed waves), which delivered 0.375 J of energy (5 s), 1.5 J/cm2 in total. Heart rate variability (HRV), Center Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were evaluated before and after treatments. The reduction of PSQI score was significant both in traditional acupuncture group (p=0.021) and laser acupuncture group (p < 0.001) after treatment, but not in sham group (p=0.127). HRV, CESD and ESS scores were not improved significantly after treatment in all groups. The post-Hoc analysis showed the significant difference in PSQI score reduction between laser acupuncture group and sham group (p=0.015). Laser acupuncture and traditional acupuncture both seem to improve sleep quality in patients with insomnia, but there was no exceeding power of each group. Further study involving more subjects is needed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on insomnia.