Effect of catgut embedding at acupoints versus non-acupoints in abdominal obesity: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of catgut embedding effect between acupoints and non-acupoints in patients with abdominal obesity (AO). METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, all subjects were randomly assigned into the acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) group and control group (catgut embedding at non-acupoints). With a 12-week actual intervention period and a 4-week period of follow-up. Waist circumference (WC), body weight, body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC) and appetite were applied and assessed at baseline and after 6, 12 and 16 weeks. RESULTS: After the total intervention phase (12 weeks), the WC, body weight, BMI, HC and visual analogue scale scores of appetite, decreased significantly in the two groups as compared to the baseline (0.001). Meanwhile, after the 4-week follow-up, the indicators still decreased significantly in the ACE group (0.001). At 12 and 16 weeks, catgut embedding at acupoints showed significantly advantages to non-acupoints in WC and appetite (0.05). No serious adverse events were observed in ACE group and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Catgut embedding at acupoints and non-acupoints are all effective and safe for AO. ACE can effectively treat AO as expected and deliver lasting results.

Establishment of an Animal Model for Post-traumatic Myositis Ossificans of the Quadriceps Femoris / 中国运动医学杂志

Objective To establish the animal model of traumatic myositis ossificans through striking the quadriceps muscle of rabbits repeatedly.Methods Nine white adult New Zealand rabbits were selected,as their left lower limbs were used as the model group and the right lower ones served as controls.The left hind limbs were stricken by a 0.25 kg ball falling from a height of 100 cm every 3 days for and then immobilized with the knee in extension,while the right knees were immobilized in the same way without striking.The rabbits were sacrificed at the 4th,6th and 8th weeks respectively.The swelling,local physical signs and pathological changes of the heterotopic ossification had been assessed.Results The swelling of left quadriceps was obvious,with progressively stiffness of the left knees accompanied by distinctly palpable indurations,while in the right hind limbs,the joint was stiff but without indurations.The imaging examination showed the ossification began to appear in the impact sites of the model group at the 4th,6th and 8th weeks.The hematoxylin-eosin staining demonstrated that there was obvious cartilage or bone formation in the muscle tissues of the left quadriceps at the 8th weeks.Conclusion An animal model of post-traumatic myositis ossificans can be successfully established in rabbits through beating their quadriceps repeatedly.