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BACKGROUND:Warm-needling moxibustion can effectively treat knee osteoarthritis.Degeneration,injury and fracture of the anterior cruciate ligament can affect the local stability of the knee joint,and then induce the formation of knee osteoarthritis.Whether warm-needling moxibustion can repair the injured cruciate ligament and the mechanism of action are still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of warm-needling moxibustion on the morphology of the anterior cruciate ligament and the expression of insulin growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor-β in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis and to clarify the mechanism of anterior cruciate ligament repair by warm-needling moxibustion. METHODS:Thirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into blank group,model group and warm-needling moxibustion group,with 10 rabbits in each group.Knee osteoarthritis model was established by plaster cast immobilization.The blank group was not intervened.Rabbits in the model group rabbits were fixed in a rabbit holder for 15 minutes every day.The warm-needling moxibustion group was treated with warm acupuncture,once a day,7 days as a course of treatment,a total of two courses.After treatment,the imaging changes of the anterior cruciate ligament were observed by MRI and MRI grading statistics were performed.Morphological changes of the anterior cruciate ligament were observed by transmission electron microscope and hematoxylin-eosin staining.mRNA and protein expressions of insulin growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor-β were detected by RT-PCR and western blot,respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:MRI examination:Compared with the blank control group,the anterior cruciate ligament in the model group was thickened,edematous,and partially torn,and the difference in grading statistics was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the anterior cruciate ligament in the warm-needling moxibustion group was slightly thickened,with mild edema and no tearing,and the difference in grading statistics was statistically significant(P＜0.05).General observation:In the model group,the surface of the anterior cruciate ligament was glossy and faded,with the edge being covered with flocculent periosteum and obvious tissue necrosis;in the warm-needling moxibustion group,the surface of the ligament was glossy,and the ligament was in a normal helical shape.Hematoxylin-eosin staining:In the model group,there was obvious tissue necrosis in the anterior cruciate ligament,a large number of new capillaries,loosely arranged fibroblasts and collagen fibers.In the warm-needling moxibustion group,there was a small amount of tissue necrosis and few new vessels in the anterior cruciate ligament,and the cells and collagen fibers were loosely and irregularly arranged.Transmission electron microscopy:In the model group,the fibers in the anterior cruciate ligament were arranged in a disordered way with uneven thickness and distribution,and there are more fibroblasts that were irregular in morphology;in the warm acupuncture group,the fibers were basically arranged longitudinally,with uneven thickness and distribution,and a small number of oval-shaped fibroblasts were observed.RT-PCR and western blot assay:mRNA and protein expressions of insulin growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor-β were significantly decreased in the model group compared with the blank control group(P＜0.05),but significant increased after treatment with warm-needling moxibustion(P＜0.05).To conclude,warm-needling moxibustion can alleviate anterior cruciate ligament injury and regulate the expression of insulin growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor-β to treat knee osteoarthritis.
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Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus spine subtle adjusting manipulation for cervical radiculopathy. Methods: A total of 70 patients with cervical radiculopathy were randomized into an observation group and a control group, with 35 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with warm needling moxibustion plus spine subtle adjusting manipulation, while the control group was treated with warm needling moxibustion alone. The treatments were performed three times a week, and for four weeks in total. The visual analog scale (VAS) was scored before and after treatment. And the clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared after treatment. Results: The total effective rate was 97.1％ in the observation group, versus 88.6％ in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores in both groups significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Warm needling moxibustion plus spine subtle adjusting manipulation has a better effect in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy than warm needling moxibustion alone.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy of warm-needling moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and to explore its effects on isokinetic strength of lower limb muscle.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty cases of KOA were randomly divided into an observation group (25 cases) and a control group (21 cases), but 4 cases lost contact. The observation group was treated with warm-needling moxibustion at Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Xuehai (SP 10), Liangqiu (ST 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Weizhong (BL 40), Heyang (BL 55) and Fengshi (GB 31) for 40 min per treatment. The first 6 treatments were given once a day, and the last 6 treatments were given once every other day. 12 treatments were taken as one course, and totally 3-week treatment was given. No treatment was given in the control group for 3 weeks. The isokinetic strength of extensor muscle and flexor muscle, including the total work, absolute peak torque (aPT) and relative peak torque (rPT), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), and comprehensive efficacy were observed and compared in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared before treatment, the total work, aPT and rPT of the extensor and flexor muscle increased significantly after treatment in the observation group (<0.01,<0.05), but the flextion/extention ratio was lowered (<0.05). In the control group, aPT and rPT of flexor muscle were reduced after treatment (<0.05,<0.01). The total work, aPT and rPT of the extensor muscle in the observation group were higher than those in the control group after treatment (<0.05,<0.01), but the flextion/extention ratio was lowered (<0.05). The item score and total score of WOMAC were reduced in the observation group after treatment (all<0.01), but no significant change was observed in the control group (all>0.05). The pain score, stiffness scores and total score of WOMAC in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (<0.01,<0.05); the score of daily function activities was declined in the observation group, but not significantly different from that in the control group (>0.05). The total effective rate was 88.0% (22/25) in the observation group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Warm-needling moxibustion could relieve pain, improve function and muscle balance, strengthen extensor and flexor muscle power, especially extensor, which has superior clinical efficacy.</p>
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Objective To investigate the efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus medication for rheumatoid arthritis.Methods One hundred patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly allocated to two groups (treatment and control) by using random number table method, 50 cases each. The treatment group received warm needling moxibustion plus medication as combined therapy and the control group, oral administration of drugs alone. In both groups, treatment was given 10 times as a course, for a total of two courses. The DAS 28 score was recorded and rheumatoid factor (RF) was determined in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The total efficacy rate was 100％ in the treatment group and 86.0％ in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant post-treatment differences in DAS 28 score and RF between the two groups (P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in pre-/post-treatment DAS 28 score difference value and RF difference value in the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Warm needling moxibustion plus medication is clinically more effective than oral administration of drugs alone in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
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Objective To investigate the efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus medication for rheumatoid arthritis.Methods One hundred patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly allocated to two groups (treatment and control) by using random number table method, 50 cases each. The treatment group received warm needling moxibustion plus medication as combined therapy and the control group, oral administration of drugs alone. In both groups, treatment was given 10 times as a course, for a total of two courses. The DAS 28 score was recorded and rheumatoid factor (RF) was determined in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The total efficacy rate was 100％ in the treatment group and 86.0％ in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant post-treatment differences in DAS 28 score and RF between the two groups (P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in pre-/post-treatment DAS 28 score difference value and RF difference value in the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Warm needling moxibustion plus medication is clinically more effective than oral administration of drugs alone in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
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Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of medication-based acupuncture on osteoporotic compression fracture and explore clinical effective intervention in the patients. Method Fifty-six patients were randomized to acupuncture-medicine and medicine groups, 28 cases each. The clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated after treatment. Bone density, BGP and IL-6 were measured before and after treatment. Result BGP and IL-6 decreased significantly in the two groups after treatment compared with before (P<0.01) and decreased more in the acupuncture-medicine group than in the medicine group (P<0.05). BMD increased significantly in the acupuncture-medicine group after treatment compared with before (P<0.05) and did not increased significantly in the medicine group after treatment (P>0.05). Conclusion Warm needling moxibustion plus medication is effective than medication alone in treating osteoporotic compression fracture. It can decrease serum BGP and IL-6 contents and relieve the clinical symptoms in the patients. Acupuncture plus medicine not only produces a marked analgesic effect but also has a positive role in preventing the aggravation of osteoporosis and avoiding second fracture.
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Objective To investigate the impact of warm needling moxibustion on articular cartilage vimentin and the regulating effect on inflammatory factors in rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Forty SD rats (half male and half female) were randomized to normal,model,acupuncture and warm needling moxibustion groups,10 rats each.A rat model of RA was made by intradermal injection of bovine type II collagen for 21-day inoculation inducement.At one day after model making,the warm needling moxibustion group was treated with warm needling moxibustion on points Zusanli,Shenshu and Xuanzhong (manual needling plus suspended moxibustion) and the acupuncture group,with acupuncture alone,for a total of 21 days.In all the rats after the completion of corresponding treatments,knee joint volume was measured by drainage,serum inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-4 contents were determined by radioimmunology and the expression of vimentin in knee joint synovium was examined by immunehistochemical method.Results As compared with the normal group,knee joint swelling was marked,serum inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-4 contents were higher and the expression of vimentin in knee joint synovium increased in the model group of rats.There were statistically significant differences (P＜0.01).As compared with the model group,knee joint swelling improved markedly,inflammatory factor IL-1β content decreased,IL-4 content increased and vimentin expression decreased in the acupuncture and warm needling moxibustion groups of rats.There were statistically significant differences (P＜0.05).As compared with the acupuncture group,knee joint swelling improved more,serum inflammatory factor IL-1β content decreased significantly,IL-4 content increased significantly and the expression of vimentin in knee joint synovium increased in the warm needling moxibustion group of rat.There were statistically significant differences (P＜0.05).Conclusions Warm needling moxibustion can effectively reduce articular inflammatory injury and decrease serum inflammatory factors and the expression of vimentin in knee joint synovium in RA rats.Regulating vimentin may be one of the mechanisms by which warm needling moxibustion reduce RA inflammatory injury.Warm needling moxibustion is more effective than acupuncture in treating RA.
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Objective:To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of warm needling moxibustion for seasonal allergic rhinitis.Methods:One hundred and eighty cases of the patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were randomly divided into two groups,90 cases in the warm needling group,treated by acupuncture plus warm needling moxibustion,and 90 cases in the acupuncture group,treated by acupuncture only,to observe the therapeutic effects after one course of the treatments.Results:The total effective rate was 95.6% in the warm needling group and 85.6% in the acupuncture group,with significant statistical difference in comparison between the two groups.Conclusion:The total effective rate of the warm needling moxibustion is better than that of the acupuncture treatment in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis.