Effect of Thick-Needle Therapy in Patients with Bell's Palsy at Recovery Stage: A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects of thick-needle therapy (TNT) and acupuncture therapy (AT) on patients with Bell's palsy (BP) at the recovery stage. METHODS: A total of 146 eligible participants from 3 hospitals in China were randomized into the TNT group (73 cases) and the AT group (73 cases) using a central randomization. Both groups received Western medicine thrice a day for 4 weeks. Moreover, patients in the TNT group received subcutaneous insertion of a thick needle into Shendao (GV 11) acupoint, while patients in the AT group received AT at acupoints of Cuanzhu (BL 2), Yangbai (GB 14), Dicang (ST 4), Xiaguan (ST 7), Jiache (ST 6), Yingxiang (LI 20) and Hegu (LI 4), 4 times a week, for 4 weeks. Both groups received 2 follow-up visits, which were arranged at 1 month and 3 months after treatment, respectively. The primary outcome measure was House-Brackmann Facial Nerve Grading System (HBFNGS) grade. And the clinical recovery rates of both groups were evaluated according to the HBFNGS grades after treatment. The secondary outcome measures included the facial disability index (FDI) and electroneurogram (EnoG). The adverse events were observed and recorded in both groups. RESULTS: Three cases withdrew from the trial, 2 in the TNT group and 1 in the AT group. There was no signifificant difference in the clinical recovery rates between the TNT and AT groups after 4-week treatment [40.85% (29/71) vs. 34.72% (25/72), P>0.05]. At the 2nd follow-up visit, more patients in the TNT group showed reduced HBFNGS grades than those in the AT group (P<0.01). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in FDI score, EnoG latency and maximum amplitude ratio at all time points (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical effect of TNT was equivalent to that of AT in patients with BP at recovery stage, while the post-treatment effect of TNT was superior to that of AT. (Registration No. ChiCTR-INR-16008409).

Effect of Thick-Needle Therapy in Patients with Bell's Palsy at Recovery Stage: A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effects of thick-needle therapy (TNT) and acupuncture therapy (AT) on patients with Bell's palsy (BP) at the recovery stage.@*METHODS@#A total of 146 eligible participants from 3 hospitals in China were randomized into the TNT group (73 cases) and the AT group (73 cases) using a central randomization. Both groups received Western medicine thrice a day for 4 weeks. Moreover, patients in the TNT group received subcutaneous insertion of a thick needle into Shendao (GV 11) acupoint, while patients in the AT group received AT at acupoints of Cuanzhu (BL 2), Yangbai (GB 14), Dicang (ST 4), Xiaguan (ST 7), Jiache (ST 6), Yingxiang (LI 20) and Hegu (LI 4), 4 times a week, for 4 weeks. Both groups received 2 follow-up visits, which were arranged at 1 month and 3 months after treatment, respectively. The primary outcome measure was House-Brackmann Facial Nerve Grading System (HBFNGS) grade. And the clinical recovery rates of both groups were evaluated according to the HBFNGS grades after treatment. The secondary outcome measures included the facial disability index (FDI) and electroneurogram (EnoG). The adverse events were observed and recorded in both groups.@*RESULTS@#Three cases withdrew from the trial, 2 in the TNT group and 1 in the AT group. There was no signifificant difference in the clinical recovery rates between the TNT and AT groups after 4-week treatment [40.85% (29/71) vs. 34.72% (25/72), P>0.05]. At the 2nd follow-up visit, more patients in the TNT group showed reduced HBFNGS grades than those in the AT group (P0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The clinical effect of TNT was equivalent to that of AT in patients with BP at recovery stage, while the post-treatment effect of TNT was superior to that of AT. (Registration No. ChiCTR-INR-16008409).

Effect of Penetrating Needling with Thick Needle at Shenzhu (GV 12) on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Score / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the effect of penetrating needling with thick needle at Shenzhu (GB 12) on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Methods Sixty-one PD patients were randomized into a treatment group of 31 cases and a control group of 30 cases. The treatment group was intervened by penetrating needling with thick needle at Shenzhu (GV 12) in addition to oral administration of Levodopa and Benserazide Hydrochloride;while the control group was by oral administration of Levodopa and Benserazide Hydrochloride alone. The UPDRS was evaluated before and after intervention in both groups. Results Respectively after 30-day treatment, 90-day treatment, and 90 d after the intervention, the UPDRS scores were significantly changed compared to that before intervention in both groups (P<0.01, P<0.05);there were also significant differences in comparing the UPDRS score between the two groups at each time point (P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusions Penetrating needling with thick needle at Shenzhu (GV 12) can improve the UPDRS score in PD patients, and it’s an effective method in treating PD.