[Comparative study on Chinese medicine and western medicine for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee in Caucasian patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of different therapies in Caucasian patients with osteoarthritis (QA) of the knee. METHODS: Seventy-five cases (90 knee joints) of osteoarthritis were randomly divided into 3 groups, western medicine group, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group, integrated Chinese and western medicine group. The western medicine group were treated with oral administration of Glucosamine Sulfate, oral administration and external application of non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent, ultrasound physiotherapy, etc. The TCM group were treated with oral administration of J uanbi Decoction, acupuncture and moxibustion, cupping, massage of acupoint and ear acupuncture. The integrated Chinese and western medicine group were treated with oral administration of Glucosamine Sulfate, oral administration and external application of non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent, acupuncture and moxibustion, cupping, massage of acupoint and ear acupuncture. The intensity of knee joint pain on walking, resting and standing, the nocturnal pain, stiffness, the maximum walking distance and the daily living ability were monitored after 30 days, 60 days and 90 days of treatment. RESULTS: After 90 days of treatment, the integrated Chinese and western medicine group was better than other two groups in improvement of percentages in self pain assessment with visual analog scale (VAS), pain and stiffness measured by WOMAC scale, pain and maximum walking distance measured by Lequesne scale (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the therapeutic effects between the TCM group and the western medicine group. All of these three treatments were well tolerated, and no severe adverse events were found. CONCLUSION: Combined TCM and western medicine treatment has rapid and definite therapeutic effect in reducing pain and improving mobility of knee joints and daily living ability in Caucasian patients of knee osteoarthritis.

[Comparative study on Chinese medicine and western medicine for treatment of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects, safety and tolerance of TCM, western medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine for treatment of acute lumbosacral pain induced by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: Ninety cases were randomly divided into 3 groups, 30 cases in each group. They were treated respectively with western medicine, TCM and combined TCM and western medicine, and the pain intensity, activity, muscular tension, and other indexes were monitored after 7 days and 30 days of treatment. RESULTS: After treatment of 7 days, the combined treatment group in improvement of VAS scores of lumbosacral pain and radiating pain of the lower limbs was superior to the TCM group with no significant difference between the two groups, and in improvement of VAS scores of lumbosacral pain and radiating pain of the lower limbs, Lasegue's sign, activity of spinal column (Schober test and distance from finger tip to floor), etc. were superior to the western medicine group (P < 0.05). After treatment of 30 days, there was no significant differences in the therapeutic effect among the 3 groups. The patients in the 3 groups had good tolerance with no severe adverse reaction. CONCLUSION: Combined TCM and western medicine treatment has rapid effects and definite therapeutic effect in alleviating pain, improving activity for acute lumbosacral pain induced by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.