Table 1. Participants’ characteristics.
Data is expressed as means (SD), with paired Students’ t-test indicating statistical differences between the Sham and the Verum Group. 95% CI = confidence interval, STAI state trait anxiety inventory (with the subscores–T trait and–S state), MDBF multidimensional mood questionnaire, PASA primary appraisal secondary appraisal, HR heart rate HRV heart rate variability.
| Verum Acupuncture | Sham Laser | Students t-test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (n = 12) | (n = 13) | p-value (95% CI) | |
| Age (yrs) | 28.1 (5.5) | 27.7 (3.7) | 0.836 (-3.3;4.2) |
| Height (cm) | 182.8 (5.1) | 181.2 (7.7) | 0.549 (-3.8;7.1) |
| Weight (kg) | 84 (10.2) | 75.7 (8.5) | 0.036 (0.6;16.1) |
| Test Anxietybaseline cm VAS | 7.7 (1.4) | 7.2 (1.2) | 0.323 (-0.5;1.6) |
| Perceived Stress in the Experiment (cm VAS) | 5.2 (1.7) | 5.3 (1.5) | 0.943 (-1.5;1.4) |
| Comparability to Medical State Exam (cm VAS) | 3.9 (2.2) | 4.1 (2.0) | 0.806 (-2.1;1.7) |
| Cortisolbaseline (nmol/l) | 7.7 (3.3) | 11 (7.4) | 0.158 (-8.1;1.5) |
| Amylasebaseline (U/ml) | 103.4 (86.8) | 138.3 (119.8) | 0.417 (-122.1;52.3) |
| Cortisolpeak (T4) (nmol/l) | 16.5 (10.5) | 19.6 (9.5) | 0.451 (-11.4;5.2) |
| Amylasepeak (T3) (U/ml) | 235.5 (225) | 280.7 (264.7) | 0.652 (-249.3;159.0) |
| STAI-Tbaseline | 33.0 (4.8) | 38.8 (6.7) | 0.023 (-10.7;-0.88) |
| MDBFbaseline | 33.6 (2.8) | 31.2 (9.7) | 0.426 (-3.6;8.4) |
| MDBFpost intervention | 34.3 (2.5) | 31.1 (9.6) | 0.279 (-2.8;9.1) |
| MDBFpost TSST | 31.3 (3.5) | 31.4 (3) | 0.969 (-2.7;2.6) |
| STAI-Sbaseline | 38 (5.6) | 41 (11) | 0.406 (-10.3;4.3) |
| STAI-Spost intervention | 32.3 (5.4) | 35.8 (8.7) | 0.253 (-9.5;2.6) |
| STAI-Spost TSST | 39.9 (7,9) | 43.6 (7.4) | 0.238 (-10.0;2.6) |
| PASApost TSST | -5.4 (5.6) | -3.8 (5.8) | 0.479 (-6.4;3.1) |
| HRbaseline (min-1) | 75.8 (12.4) | 77.4 (17.7) | 0.808 (-14.7;11.6) |
| HRpost intervention (min-1) | 65.7 (11.2) | 67.9 (14.2) | 0.692 (-12.1;8.9) |
| HRTSST (min-1) | 87.4 (13.9) | 91.2 (21.6) | 0.619 (-19.5;11.9) |
| HRVbaseline (ms) | 757.1 (270.2) | 831.3 (197.6) | 0.439 (-268.9;120.5) |
| HRVpost intervention (ms) | 945.4 (163.1) | 929.1 (189.7) | 0.825 (-135.0;167.6) |
| HRVTSST (ms) | 708 (113.6) | 705.4 (184.3) | 0.969 (-130.2;135.2) |