Objective: To observe the effect of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TAES) of Zusanli (ST 36) on gastrointestinal activities in organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (OPP) patients undergoing emergency treatment so as to explore its action in scavenging gastrointestinal toxicant.
Methods: A total of 116 OPP patients were randomly divided into control group and TAES group (n=58 in each group) according to the simple random sampling method. All the patients received comprehensive treatment including gastric lavage, catharsis, oral administration of atropine Pralidoxime Chloride, Omeprazole, etc. For patients of the TAES group, TAES stimulation (30 Hz/60 Hz, 15-20 mA) was applied to bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) for 30 min, 3 times a day till black stool was discharged. The vomiting times after catharsis, the time of the first defecation and black stool discharge, the dosage of atropine and the length of patient stay in hospital were recorded.
Results: Of the two 58 cases of OPP patients in the control and TAES groups, 11 (18.9%) and 3 (5.2%) underwent vomiting after catharsis, being significantly lower in the TAES group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the time of first defecation and black stool discharge, the dosage of the administrated atropine and the time of hospitalization were significantly lower in the TAES group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: TAES of ST 36 may lower incidence of emesis, enhance the cathartic effect, promote gastrointestinal poison discharge, reduce total atropine dosage and shorten the hospitalization time in OPP patients, favoring the patient's rehabilitation.