Effectiveness of auriculotherapy and laser acupuncture in hyperemesis gravidarum: a randomized clinical trial.
Lais de Lima Oliva, Renne Rodrigues, Keli Regiane Tomeleri da Fonseca Pinto and 2 others
PMID 41563304WHAT IT FOUND
In pregnant women with mild or moderate nausea and vomiting, auriculotherapy and laser auriculotherapy lowered symptom scores and improved quality of life scores versus control or placebo.
Laser versus control quality of life did not hold up after adjustment.
Key findings
01Pregnant women who received auriculotherapy or laser auriculotherapy had lower nausea and vomiting scores and better quality of life scores than women in the control or placebo groups.
02After adjustment, both interventions still showed lower symptom scores versus placebo, but laser versus control did not show a quality of life difference.
03Women in the control and placebo groups used more metoclopramide than women in the two intervention groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The title mentions hyperemesis gravidarum, but the trial excluded hyperemesis gravidarum and enrolled women with mild or moderate nausea and vomiting. Participants and the acupuncturist were not blinded because the treatments looked different, so expectation effects cannot be ruled out. Follow-up was only seven days, so longer term benefit, relapse, and safety are unknown. Adverse effects were not assessed systematically, and stress, anxiety, laser response time, acceptability, and costs were not measured. Laser auriculotherapy versus control did not show a significant adjusted quality of life difference, so that comparison is less certain. Women also had routine prenatal care, continued ferrous sulfate, and could take metoclopramide, so the trial does not isolate the effect of auriculotherapy alone from all other care. The study was done in three basic health units in one municipality, so results may not apply elsewhere.
Declared interests
The paper reports that the study was funded by the main researcher and the advisor's own resources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that auriculotherapy or laser auriculotherapy treats hyperemesis gravidarum. The trial excluded hyperemesis gravidarum and enrolled pregnant women with mild or moderate nausea and vomiting, followed them for only seven days, and did not blind participants or the acupuncturist.