Observations on the Efficacy of Acupuncture plus Medicine in Treating Senile Hepatic Cirrhosis / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus medicine in treating senile hepatic cirrhosis.Methods Eighty patients with senile hepatic cirrhosis were randomized to treatment and control groups, 40 cases each. Both group received conventional antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatments. In addition, the control group took domperidone tablets and spironolactone tablets orally and the treatment group received acupuncture. Serum HBV-DNA content was measured, hepatic fibrosis indicators (typeⅢ procollagen, serum hyaluronic acid and laminin) were examined, and clinical symptoms (ascites, hydrothorax, lower limb edema and abdominal varices) and gastrointestinal symptoms (reflux vomiting disappearance time, borborygmus recovery time and defecation frequency) were observed in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The total efficacy rate was 95.5％ in the treatment group and 77.5％ in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in serum HBV-DNA content and hepatic fibrosis indicators in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in serum HBV-DNA content and hepatic fibrosis indicators between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the number of cases of ascites, hydrothorax or lower limb edema between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the gastrointestinal symptoms between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture plus medicine is an effective way to treat senile hepatic cirrhosis.