RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) for preventing and treating primary osteoporosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy cases, who had been treated in 2001-2003 at our hospital, were selected and the bone mineral density (BMD) before and after treatment and the incidence condition of bone fracture during 5 years after treatment were analyzed in the embedding thread group and the medication group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The BMDs of hip and lumbar vertebrae were both increased in the embedding thread group, and the BMDs of femoral neck and femoral trochanter in this group were significantly higher than those in the medication group (both P < 0.05). The rate of bone fracture during 5 years after treatment was 2.1% (1/48) in the embedding thread group, which was significantly lower than 18.2% (4/22) in the medication group (P < 0 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) can raise the BMD of primary osteoporosis and significantly reduce the rate of bone fracture during 5 years.</p>