Effect of electroacupuncture at Hegu acupoints on survival and neurological function after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in asphyxial cardiac arrest rats

FANG Wei; LIANG Xiaoyan; ZHUANG Yongjing; CAO Yunfei; ZHOU Liming

doi:10.13919/j.issn.2095-6274.2016.09.001

Abstract：Objective To investigate effect of electroacupuncture at Hegu acupoints on survival rate and neurological function after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in asphyxia1 cardiac arrest rats.Methods Asphyxial cardiac arrest was induced with asphyxia by clamping the tracheal tubes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: (1) cardiopulmonary resuscitation group (group C), with right intracerebroventricular injection of 5μl physiologic saline; (2) atropine methyl nitrate administered group (group A), with right intracerebroventricular injection of atropine methyl nitrate (5μg/kg); (3) electroacupuncture administered group (group E), with electroacupuncture at Hegu acupoints and right intracerebroventricular injection of physiologic saline; (4) electroacupuncture plus atropine methyl nitrate group (group EA), with electroacupuncture at Hegu acupoints and right intracerebroventricular injection of atropine methyl nitrate. 8 rats in each group were used for neural function observation. They were subjected to 5 minutes of asphyxial cardiac arrest, and then neurological deficits were evaluated and scored at 24, 48 and 72 h respectively after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). 12 rats in each group were used for survival study. They were also subjected to 8 minutes of asphyxial cardiac arrest, and then survival conditions were observed every 2 h within 72 h after ROSC.Results At 24 h and 48 h after ROSC, the differences in neurological deficit scores (NDS) among all four groups was not statistically significant (χ2=3.828,P=0.281;χ2=3.728,P=0.292), but at 72 h after ROSC, NDS showed statistically significant differences among four groups. And then further pairwise comparison showed that NDS in group E was significantly higher than that in group C, and the difference was statiscally significant (P=0.015). Survival rate within 72 h of group C, group E, group A and group EA were 25% (3/12),66.67% (8/12), 16.67% (2/12) and 33.33% (4/12), respectively. Survival rate within 72 h of group E was higher than that of group C, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=3.874,P=0.049).Conclusions Electroacupuncture at Hegu acupoints can increase survival rate and improve neurological function after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in asphyxial cardiac arrest rats, which is probably related with activating central cholinergic system.