Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for the Treatment of Insomnia in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Melanie D. Hoextermann; Katja Buner; Heidemarie Haller; Wiebke Kohl; Gustav Dobos; Mattea Reinisch; Sherko Kuemmel; Holger Cramer; Petra Voiss

doi:10.3390/cancers13164082

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Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for the Treatment of Insomnia in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for the Treatment of Insomnia in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Melanie D. Hoextermann, Katja Buner, Heidemarie Haller, Wiebke Kohl, Gustav Dobos, Mattea Reinisch, Sherko Kuemmel, Holger Cramer and Petra Voiss

Cancers, Vol.13(16), pp.1-16

13/08/2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13164082

PMID: 34439234

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Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Oncology

Science & Technology

breast neoplasms

sleep initiation and maintenance disorders

acupuncture

ear

cancer survivors

randomized controlled trial

clinical study

individualized treatment

Among women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Sleep problems impair 40–70% of breast cancer survivors. This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effect of auricular acupuncture on sleep quality in breast cancer survivors suffering from insomnia. Fifty-two female breast cancer survivors with insomnia (mean age 55.73 ± 8.10 years) were randomized either to 10 treatments of auricular acupuncture within five weeks (n = 26), or to a single session of psychoeducation plus an insomnia advice booklet (n = 26). The primary outcome was sleep quality (measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) at week 5. Secondary outcomes were inflammation parameter (interleukin-6), stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and fatigue at week 5, and sleep quality, stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and fatigue 17 and 29 weeks after randomization. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a significantly stronger increase in sleep quality in the auricular acupuncture group compared to the psychoeducation group (p = 0.031; η2p = 0.094) at week 5. Furthermore, auricular acupuncture improved stress (p = 0.030; η2p = 0.094), anxiety (p = 0.001; η2p = 0.192), and fatigue (p = 0.006; η2p = 0.148) at week 5 compared to psychoeducation. No significant group difference was found concerning the other outcomes at week 5, or in any outcome at week 17 or week 29. No serious adverse events occurred during the study period. In conclusion, a semi-standardized group auricular acupuncture might be an effective and safe intervention in treating insomnia in breast cancer survivors in the short term, and may reduce stress, anxiety, and fatigue as well. Long-term effects remain questionable.

Details

Title: Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for the Treatment of Insomnia in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Creators: Melanie D. Hoextermann - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Katja Buner - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Heidemarie Haller - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Wiebke Kohl - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Gustav Dobos - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Mattea Reinisch - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Sherko Kuemmel - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Holger Cramer - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Petra Voiss - Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Publication Details: Cancers, Vol.13(16), pp.1-16
Publisher: Mdpi
Number of pages: 16
Grant note: Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation, Essen, Germany
Identifiers: 991013035760602368
Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Academic Unit: National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for the Treatment of Insomnia in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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