IntroductionAcupuncture analgesia (AA) is widely used in clinical practice. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) may be an important pathway for acupuncture signal transduction. However, real-time changes in autonomic function during AA and the effect of “needle sensation” remain unclear.MethodsWe established a human pain model in healthy adults and randomly assigned 128 participants to the model, sham acupuncture, and acupuncture groups in a 1:1:2 ratio. Heart rate variability (HRV), including total power (TP), low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF), standard deviation of the normal-normal intervals (SDNN), and root mean square of successive interval differences (RMSSD), were used to assess autonomic function. The visual analog scale (VAS) and efficiency were used to assess the analgesic effect of acupuncture. The Massachusetts General Hospital acupuncture sensation scale (MASS) was used to indicate the intensity of the needle sensation. Anxiety levels were also measured. Finally, the correlation of MASS with HRV, VAS, and anxiety levels was analyzed.ResultsVAS decreased after 10 min of needling and 5 min after needle withdrawal in the acupuncture group compared with those in the model group (p = 0.038, p = 0.020). The efficacy rates were 82.0, 50.0, and 61.3% in the acupuncture, model, and sham groups, respectively. These represent significant differences between the acupuncture group and the model and sham acupuncture groups (p < 0.001 in each case). No differences were observed between the model and sham acupuncture groups. HF, TP, SDNN, and RMSSD were all increased in the acupuncture group compared with those in the model group (p = 0.045, p = 0.041, p = 0.002, p = 0.006, respectively). No differences were observed in the sham acupuncture group compared to the model group (p = 0.632, p = 0.542, p = 0.093, p = 0.222, respectively). The LF and LF/HF did not differ among all three groups. A positive correlation was observed between MASS and RMSSD2, LF2, RMSSD4, TP4, VAS5, and anxiety levels.ConclusionAA was associated with enhanced vagal activity. The intensity of needle sensation was positively correlated with vagal and sympathetic nerve activities. Acupuncture is an effective means of regulating autonomic function, and needle sensation may be an important modulator.

中文翻译：

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针刺镇痛过程中“针感”的作用及自主神经系统活动的实时变化

简介针灸镇痛（AA）在临床实践中广泛应用。自主神经系统（ANS）可能是针灸信号转导的重要途径。然而，AA期间自主神经功能的实时变化以及“针感”的影响仍不清楚。方法我们在健康成年人中建立了人体疼痛模型，并将128名参与者以1：1的比例随机分配到模型组、假针灸组和针灸组中。 1：2的比例。心率变异性（HRV），包括总功率（TP）、低频功率（LF）、高频功率（HF）、低频与高频比率（LF/HF）、正常-正常间隔的标准差（ SDNN）和连续间隔差异均方根（RMSSD）用于评估自主神经功能。采用视觉模拟量表（VAS）和效率来评估针灸的镇痛效果。采用麻省总医院针灸感觉量表（MASS）来表示针感的强度。还测量了焦虑水平。最后分析MASS与HRV、VAS、焦虑水平的相关性。结果针刺组进针10 min、退针5 min后VAS较模型组下降（p= 0.038,p= 0.020）。针刺组、模型组和假手术组的有效率分别为82.0%、50.0%和61.3%。这些代表了针灸组与模型组和假针灸组之间的显着差异（p< 每种情况下为 0.001）。模型组和假针灸组之间没有观察到差异。与模型组相比，针刺组的 HF、TP、SDNN 和 RMSSD 均升高（p= 0.045,p= 0.041,p= 0.002,p= 0.006，分别）。与模型组相比，假针灸组没有观察到差异（p= 0.632,p= 0.542,p= 0.093,p= 0.222，分别）。所有三组之间的 LF 和 LF/HF 没有差异。MASS 和 RMSSD 之间观察到正相关2， 如果2, 均方根误差4, TP4, 增值服务5、结论 AA 与迷走神经活动增强有关。针感强度与迷走神经、交感神经活动呈正相关。针灸是调节植物神经功能的有效手段，而针感可能是一个重要的调节器。