Randomized comparative blood glucose, lipids, malondialdehyde, liver enzymes, and C-reactive protein responses to laser acupuncture versus interscapular wet cupping in fatty liver

Background: Wide appreciation of the use of complementary therapies is reported by patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effect of interscapular wet cupping (IWC) versus laser acupuncture (LA) on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, aspartate transaminase, pulse rate, alanine transaminase, serum malondialdehyde, fasting blood glucose, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein) in NAFLD patients. This was a randomized comparative study. Materials and methods: Sixty fatty liver participants were recruited from the Internal Diseases Outpatient Clinic, Specialized Clinics, Badr City, Egypt. Patients were randomly assigned to the IWC or LA group. For 3 months, the TWC group received 2 cupping sessions per month (on days 0 and 14). The selected acupoints received 3 LA sessions per week for 3 months. We assessed the above measurements before and after the 3-month complementaryinterventional study period. Results: Significant improvements were reported in the IWC and LA groups (except for serum hs-CRP in the IWC group). Conclusion: LA or IWC may help in controlling blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, inflammatory markers, liver enzymes, and oxidative stress markers in patients with fatty liver.