Effect of FireNeedling plus Filiform Needles on the Quality of Life in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of fire needling plus filiform needles in treating knee osteoarthritis and its effect on the patients’ quality of life.MethodOne hundred and one patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to fire needling, filiform needle and combination groups. They were treated with fire needling, filiform needles and fire needling plus filiform needles, respectively. An assessment was made using the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in the 101 patients with knee osteoarthritis before and after treatment.ResultFire needling, filiform needles and fire needling plus filiform needles all had a marked therapeutic effect on knee osteoarthritis. The effect of fire needling plus filiform needles was better than those of fire needling and filiform needles (P<0.05,P<0.01). After four weeks of treatment, SF-36 quality of life item sub-scores increased in all the three groups of patients compared with before treatment (P<0.01); SF-36 role physical and general health scores were higher in the combination group than in the fire needling group (P<0.05, P<0.01); SF-36 physical functioning, role physical, general health, social functioning and mental health scores were higher in the combination group than in the filiform needle group (P<0.01).ConclusionFire needling plus filiform needles can effectively treat knee osteoarthritis and improve the patients’ quality of life. Its effects are superior to those of fire needling and filiform needles.