AIM: To observe the effect of auricular points sticking and pressing on the symptoms and serum endocrine hormones as well as other related biochemical indexes of women in menopause. METHODS: Sixty-nine female patients in menopause, who were treated or hospitalized in the acupuncture clinical of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between February 2001 and September 2003, were randomly divided into auricular points sticking and pressing group (study group, n = 54) and regular therapy group (control group, n = 15). There were insignificant differences in the age, disease course and types of syndrome differentiation between patients in the two groups by Chi2 test (p > 0.05). Study group: (1) Principle of treatment: tonifying the kidney, coordinating zang and fu, and balancing yin and yang. (2) Selection of points: main points were kidney, internal genitals, internal secretion and sub-cortex; auxiliary points were shenmen, sympathetic part, apex of antitragus, those with syndromes of yin-deficiency added liver and heart, and those with yang-deficiency added spleen. (3) Operation: cowherb seeds were stuck just to the points, and the patients pressed and suck the auricular points by themselves 3 to 5 times every day, and no less than 20 seconds for each point each time. (4) Courses: left and right points were stuck and pressed alternatively, it was alternated every 3 days, twice a week with an interval of 1 day, and successive 4 weeks as one course. Control group: (1) The patients were treated with oral oryzanol (10 mg each time), three times every day for successive 4 days as a course. The ameliorative rates of syndromes before and after treatment was compared with Kupperman index in both groups, that were, significantly effective, effective and invalid. Besides serum endocrine hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol were determined before and after treatment in the study group. RESULTS: (1) Calculating values of Kupperman index ratio: The significantly effective rate and effective rate were 40.74% (23/54) and 100% (54/54) in the study group, but 6.67% (1/15) and 73.33% (4/15) in the control group (p < 0.05). (2) Kupperman index after treatment in the study group and control group (11.8 +/- 4.3, 20.7 +/- 6.9) were significantly decreased as compared with those before treatment (30.8 +/- 5.5, 31.2 +/- 9.7) (p < 0.01), and it was decreased more significantly in the study group (p < 0.01). (3) Serum endocrine hormone in the study group: as compared with before treatment, FSH was obviously decreased ((18.079 +/- 9.770), (24.853 +/- 13.690) IU/L) (p < 0.05), estradiol was remarkably increased ((53.875 +/- 25.777) micro-g/L) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Kupperman index ratio shows that the effective rate of auricular points sticking and pressing therapy is 100%. The obvious decrease of Kupperman index indicates that the menopausal symptoms of females are ameliorated; meanwhile, the decrease of FSH and increase of estradiol level also prove the clinical effect.

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