AUTHOR=Wang Li-feng , Liang Wei-dong , Wang Bing-yu , Guo Ming-ling , Zhou Jian-shun , Chen Li , Zhong Mao-lin , Ye Jun-ming 

TITLE=Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for reducing cognitive dysfunction in lumbar spine surgery: A randomized, controlled trail

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.1034998

DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2022.1034998

ISSN=1663-4365

ABSTRACT=ABSTRACT
Objective : This study aimed to evaluate the effect of perioperative transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients with lumbar spine surgery. 
Methods: 147 patients (aged 60-80 years old) were randomly divided into group A, 3-day intervention group; group B, 7-day intervention group; control group C, sham TEAS group, selected "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Dazhui" (GV 14) point was intervened once 30 minutes before operation with "HANS" transcutaneous electrical stimulation device, and then once a day after operation for 30 minutes each time. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative cognitive impairment assessed by the use of the Mini Mental Rating Scale (MMSE), patients developed POCD according to the Z score method.The secondary outcome was serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor Necrosis factor ɑ (TNF-ɑ), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100β protein levels. 
Results: 3 days after surgery, the incidence of POCD in groups A（22.4%）and B（18.3%）were lower than those in group C （42.9%）(P<0.05). There was no significant difference between groups A and B (P>0.05). 7 days after surgery,the incidence of POCD in group B(18.3%) was lower than that in groups A(26.5%) and B(42.9%), and the comparison between groups B and C was statistically significant (P<0.05).On the 3rd and 7th days after surgery, the levels of IL-6, TNF-ɑ, NSE, and S100β in the two TEAS groups were lower than those in the sham TEAS group (P<0.01), but higher than the preoperative levels in the three groups (P<0.01). Conclusion: Perioperative TEAS intervention can reduce the level of inflammatory factors IL-6, TNF-ɑ in the blood of elderly patients with lumbar spine surgery, and reduce the incidence of POCD.