Efeito da auriculoterapia e fisioterapia nos parâmetros do sistema purinérgico em plaquetas de pacientes com dor lombar crônica

Abstract

Chronic low back pain is currently considered a public health problem, with approximately 30% of the world population suffering from this condition, which affects patients' quality of life. It is necessary to implement therapies combined with conventional treatments to improve pain and restore quality of life. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of combined auriculotherapy and physiotherapy therapies on patients diagnosed with chronic low back pain in the purinergic system. Fifteen patients who underwent the combined auriculotherapy and physiotherapy protocol took part in the study. The protocols lasted 4 weeks. Biological material samples (blood) were collected one week before the start of the protocols and one week after their completion. The enzymatic activity of Ecto5'nucleotidase and NTPdase 1 in platelets was analyzed, and the extracellular ATP activity was measured in serum. For statistical analysis, GraphPad Prism 9.0 software was used. The normality test was performed using the Shapiro- Wilk test, the paired Student's t-test for parametric data, and the paired Wilcoxon test for nonparametric data. The results were presented as mean and standard deviation. The results obtained under the parameters of the purinergic system after intervention indicated significant changes, being a significant increase in extracellular ATP (p = <0.005), a significant increase in the hydrolysis of ATP (p = <0.005), ADP (p = <0.005), and AMP (p = <0.005). Regarding ADA activity, a significant reduction was identified (p = <0.005). Therefore, the data obtained suggest that AA may be an effective intervention in pain relief through the modulation of ATP levels and the formation of adenosine at the treated site. Studies involving the purinergic system, chronic low back pain and auriculotherapy are limited in the literature, requiring the implementation of new studies to assist in therapies such as this for chronic pain relief.