ABSTRACT
Objective: This research was conducted to observe the effects of auricular plaster therapy on insomnia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: This study involved 76 patients with insomnia caused by RA, who were admitted to Foshan Chancheng Central Hospital-in Foshan, Guangdong, China-from August 2017 to August 2018. The patients were randomized, with 38 to the intervention group and another 38 to the control group. The intervention group was treated with auricular plaster therapy with beans, while the control group was treated with estazolam orally before going to bed. Curative effects were compared between the 2 groups. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI) and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) were used to assess and evaluate the sleep quality of patients. Result: Scores of the PSQI dimensions all fell in both groups after treatment. Scores for sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, sleep disorder, and daytime dysfunction in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). AIS scores in all dimensions decreased in both groups, and, after treatment, scores and total points of sleep latency, night-time revival, overall sleep quality, and the dimensionality of daytime body function in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Auricular plaster therapy has a marked effect on insomnia in patients with RA, and the therapy is easy and simple to apply.
ABSTRACT
Objective. In recent years, public health experts have concluded that the impact of osteoarthritis is equal in magnitude to that of cardiovascular disease. Osteoarthritis of the knee is prevalent in the elderly population; however, there are currently no effective treatments for this condition. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of "meridian-sinew release," a newly developed technique which entails using a meridian-sinew scope and a meridian-sinew knife to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods. Patients (N = 90) with knee osteoarthritis were prospectively randomized to meridian-sinew release therapy, acupuncture therapy, or drug therapy groups, respectively. Outcome evaluation included pain, stiffness, physiological function, total symptom score, and overall changes in the condition. Results. After 12 weeks, patients' general assessment (GA) and doctors' general assessment (GA) of the condition were not significantly different among the three groups. However, significant differences in primary endpoint pain, joint stiffness, and total symptom score were found between the meridian-sinew group and the acupuncture group and between the meridian-sinew group and the control group (P < 0.05). No adverse events occurred during the trial. Conclusion. Our study suggests that meridian-sinew release therapy can improve knee osteoarthritis, alleviate joint pain, and improve functional movement disorder. It is a safe and effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis.
