Clinical trial NCT02300207: Electroacupuncture is Effective in Cardiac Deconditioning Induced by Head-down Bed Rest
Official title: Electracupuncture Could Ameliorate Orthostatic Intolerance After Weightlessness by Improving Cardiovascular Function
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cardiovascular Abnormalities
Weightlessness
Keywords: Electroacupuncture
Cardiovascular function
Orthostatic tolerance
Head-down bed rest
Lead sponsor: Air Force Military Medical University, China
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2014-11-24
Enrollment: 20
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 20
Maximum age (years): 28
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: To investigate the changes of cardiovascular function during short-term simulated weightlessness after electroacupuncture (EA) treatment．

Detailed description: Spaceflight is associated with cardiovascular deregulation. However, the influence of microgravity on the cardiovascular system and the underlying mechanisms and countermeasures remain largely unknown. Our previous studies have demonstrated that electroacupuncture (EA) is effective at improving orthostatic tolerance (OT). The purpose of this study was to determine if EA treatment can attenuate cardiovascular deconditioning induced by a 4-day -6° head-down bed rest (HDBR). Fourteen healthy male subjects were randomly allocated into a control group (Con, n=6, 4 days HDBR without countermeasure) and an EA treatment group (EA, n=8, 4 days HDBR with EA at Neiguan \[PC-6\] for 30 min daily for 4 consecutive days during HDBR). OT was estimated with a combination of +75°/20 min head-up tilt and lower body negative pressure test before and after HDBR. Plasma hormones and heart rate variability were assessed before and after HDBR. Cardiac systolic functions and cerebral blood flow were measured before, during, and after HDBR. The data showed that EA treatment applied daily for 30 min during a 4-day HDBR prevented OT and cardiac systolic function from decrease, prevented autonomic dysfunction (a decrease in the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system), and increased the concentrations of plasma angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone (Ald). These results indicate that 30 min of daily EA treatment at PC-6 is highly effective in partially maintaining OT and cardiac systolic function. Activation of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system and increased plasma hormones is largely responsible for maintaining OT after a 4-day HDBR. Therefore, EA treatment appears to be an effective countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning induced by HDBR.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* The subjects were healthy and physically fit but were not athletes.Comprehensive physical, psychological and routine blood chemistry examinations were performed to select qualified subjects for this research.No medication, smoking, alcohol, or caffeinated drinks were allowed during the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* skeleton-muscle diseases, visual or acoustic dysfunction, organic and functional diseases of psychiatry and neurology as well as sleep disorders

Primary outcomes:
measure: Orthostatic tolerance test
timeFrame: 35 minutes
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Measurements of cardiac systolic function and cerebral blood flow
timeFrame: 6 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Xi'an
country: China
facility: Department of Aerospace Biodynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University
state: Shaanxi
Study officials:
affiliation: Department of Aerospace Biodynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University
name: Xiqing Sun, Ph.D
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References:
citation: Sun J, Li X, Yang C, Wang Y, Shi F, Gao Y, Luan Q, Zhu Y, Sun X. Transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation as a countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning during 4 days of head-down bed rest in humans. Acupunct Med. 2015 Oct;33(5):381-7. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2014-010730. Epub 2015 May 29.