ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical efficacy on chronic ulcerative colitis between electroacupuncture (EA) combined with acupoint sticking therapy (AST) and western medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety cases were randomly divided into EA + AST group and western medication group, 45 cases in each one. In EA + AST group, (1) Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and (2) Shangjuxu (ST 37), Pishu (BL 20), Dachangshu (BL 25), Zusanli (ST 36) were selected for EA and AST by turns. In western medication group, Mesalazine was administered orally. Clinical symptom evaluation and colonoscopic examination were conducted respectively before and after treatment, and the differences in efficacy were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In EA + AST group, the total effective rate of clinical symptoms was 91.1% (41/45) and the total effective rate of the colonoscopic improvements in mucosal lesions was 84.4% (38/45), which were all superior to those (73.3%, 33/45; 66.7%, 30/45) in medication group (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination of electroacupuncture and acupoint sticking therapy can improve in clinical symptoms and colonoscopic mucosal lesions significantly in the patients with ulcerative colitis and the efficacy of it is superior to that of Mesalazine.</p>