EFFECTS ON LOCAL BLOOD FLUX OF ACUPUNCTURE STIMULATION USED TO TREAT XEROSTOMIA IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SJOGRENS-SYNDROME

Twenty-one patients with Sjogren's Syndrome were given four different kinds of acupuncture stimulation, at acupuncture points previously use d to treat xerostomia. The local blood flux in the skin overlying the parotid gland was measured with laser Doppler flowmetry before, during and after the acupuncture stimulation. The results showed that the lo cal blood flux increased significantly during and after both manual ac upuncture and low-frequency (2 Hz) electro-acupuncture as compared wit h superficial acupuncture. These results indicate that acupuncture ind uced an increase in the local blood flux which was more pronounced for those patients who had previously reacted with increased salivary flo w to acupuncture.