Efficacy of herb-separated moxibustion combined with sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets for ankylosing spondylitis with cold-dampness obstruction type / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy between herb-separated moxibustion and conventional moxibustion on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) based on oral administration of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets.@*METHODS@#A total of 64 patients with AS of cold-dampness obstruction type were randomly divided into an herb-separated moxibustion group and a conventional moxibustion group, 32 cases in each one. Based on oral administration of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets, the patients in the conventional moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion at the area with Dazhui (GV 14) to Changqiang (GV 1) as center and about 10 cm in width; the moxibustion was given for 1 hour. In the herb-separated moxibustion group, the gauze was soaked in the medicinal liquor and ginger juice, and placed on the same moxibustion area as the conventional moxibustion group, followed by moxibustion for 1 hour. The treatment in the two groups was given once a week, three treatments constituted a course and totally three courses were given. The symptom quantification score, occipital-wall distance, Schober test, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels were observed before and after treatment in the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the symptom quantification score, occipital-wall distance, CRP and ESR levels were lower but the Schober test was higher after treatment in the two groups (all 0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% (27/30) in the herb-separated moxibustion group, which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the conventional moxibustion group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The herb-separated moxibustion combined with sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets has significant efficacy for AS with cold-dampness obstruction type, which could obviously relieve pain symptoms, improve occipital-wall distance, Schober test and other physical signs, and improve the quality of life.

Clinical observation on ankylosing spondylitis treated with acupoint catgut embedding combined vessel pricking therapy / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding combined with vessel pricking therapy for ankylosing spondylitis (AS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-six cases of AS were randomly divided into an acupoint catgut embedding combined vessel pricking group (group A) and a medication group(group B), 43 cases in each group. In the group A, acupoint catgut embedding combined with vessel pricking therapy were applied at Shenshu(BL 23), Dazhu (BL 11) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) etc. The group B was treated with oral administration of Sulfasalazine (SASP). The treatment lasted for 8 weeks. Symptom score, Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), the indices of morning stiff duration, Schober test, occiput to wall distance, chest expansion, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-response protein (CRP) were compared before and after treatment between two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the total effective rate was 83.7% (36/43) in the group A, which was superior to that of 70.0% (28/40) in the group B (P < 0.05). The improvements of all indices in two groups were more significant than those before treatment (all P < 0.01), and symptom score, Schober test score and VAS score in group A were superior to those in the group B (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). No adverse reaction occurred in the group A.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of acupoint catgut embedding combined with vessel pricking therapy for AS is preferable without any adverse effects, which is superior to that of oral administration of SASP.</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of medicinal moxa stick moxibustion for treatment of tinea pedis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe therapeutic effect of using medicinal moxa stick moxibustion for treatment of tinea pedis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and forty-four cases were randomly divided into a medicinal moxa stick group (MMS), a moxa stick group (MS) and a Nitramisole cream group (NC) (n = 48 in each group). The moxibustion method was applied in both MMS group and MS group. The Nitramisole cream was applied in NC group. The treatment course was lasted for 21 days. The symptoms of patients with tinea pedis were recorded and scored before and after the treatment course, the effectiveness was assessed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rates were 89.59% and 81.25% in the MMS group and the MS group, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the total effective rate in these two groups were better than that of NC group (70.84%, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of medicinal moxa stick moxibustion is better than that of moxa stick moxibustion or Nitramisole cream.</p>

Meridian three-combined therapy for treatment of ordinary psoriasis: a multi-center randomized controlled study / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the meridian three-combined therapy for treatment of ordinary psoriasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A multi-central, randomized and positive drug controlled trial was adopted, and 233 cases were divided into an observation group of 116 cases and a control group of 117 cases. The observation group was treated with thread embedding at points, blood-letting puncture on the back of ear and auricular point pressing (i.e. meridian three-combined therapy). For thread embedding, 3-4 local points such ear points as Fei (CO14), Gan (CO12), Pizhixia (AT4), Shenmen (TF4) , cephalic and symmetric points of severe parts of the limb skin were selected according to the skin lesion position, and the treatment was given once each two weeks. For ear point tapping and pressing, 3-5 points were selected in each session. And the control group was treated with oral administration of Di yin Tablets, 5 tablets each time, twice each day. After treatment of 6 weeks, the clinical therapeutic effects, the score of skin lesion area, the scores for skin lesion severity and safety were compared in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The markedly effective rate was 57.8 % in the observation group and 51.3% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05); after treatment the scores for both the skin lesion area and the skin lesion severity were significantly decreased in the two groups compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), and with a significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). And the incidence rate of the adverse reaction in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The meridian three-combined therapy is effective and safe for treatment of ordinary psoriasis.</p>