Pharmacoacupuncture for Lowering HbA1c in Korean Adult Patients With Hyperglycemia: A Retrospective Study

Acupuncture-based interventions have gained attention for their potential to enhance insulin sensitivity, modulate inflammatory pathways, and mitigate complications associated with chronic hyperglycemia. This study examined the efficacy of pharmacoacupuncture (PA) in reducing glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels among Korean adults with hyperglycemia. A retrospective analysis was performed using data from 40 hyperglycemic patients who received PA at Dongpyun-Bubu Korean Medical Clinic. Patients underwent 10–30 sessions of PA injections at acupoints including LR13 (章門, the Front-Mu point of the spleen) using a 23-gauge disposable syringe and 1 cc at SP16 (腹哀) and ST19 (不容) using a 27-gauge syringe. Changes in HbA1c and body mass index (BMI) before and after treatment were analyzed using paired t -tests and mixed-effects models. The mean age of patients was 51.4 ± 18.8 years, and 55.0% were women. After 30 sessions of PA, HbA1c significantly decreased from 7.37 ± 1.36% to 5.88 ± 0.65% ( p = 6.16 × 10 −7 ), and BMI declined from 28.5 ± 5.0 kg/m 2 to 26.4 ± 3.9 kg/m 2 ( p = 4.09 × 10 −8 ). The reduction in HbA1c was associated with the cumulative number of PA sessions, independent of concurrent Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment or changes in BMI. PA appears to offer significant potential as an adjuvant therapy for hyperglycemia, demonstrating substantial reductions in HbA1c levels. These findings suggest that PA may be a promising complementary treatment for improving glycemic control in adults with hyperglycemia.