Effect of Electroacupuncture on Rheumatoid Arthritis:Clinical Outcome and Serum Inflammatory Factor / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on the rehabilitation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and level of nu-clear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin 1β(IL-1β). Methods 140 cases of RA meeting the inclusion crite-ria were divided into control group and observation group equally according to therapeutic schemes. All the patients accepted medicine and rehabilitation training, while the observation group accepted electroacupuncture in addition. The effective rate and the symptoms were ob-served, the serum level of rheumatoid factor (RF), antistreptolysin O antibody (ASO), C-reactive protein (CRP), NF-κB, TNF-αand IL-1βwere tested before and after treatment. Results The effective rate was 92.8%in the observation group, which was significantly more than that of 80.0%in the control group (P<0.05). The joint pain index, joint tenderness index and joint swollenness index reduced in the observa-tion group compared with those in the control group (P<0.05), as well as the serum level of RF, ASO, CRP, NF-κB, TNF-αand IL-1β(P<0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture may improve the effects of rehabilitation training for RA and inhibit the inflammation, which may as-sociate with the inhibition of activation of NF-κB.