Clinical observation on electroacupuncture plus long-snake moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis due to kidney deficiency and cold coagulation / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) plus long-snake moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to kidney deficiency and cold coagulation. Methods: A total of 60 patients in active stage of RA were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the control group took methotrexate tablets and nimesulide dispersible tablets orally for treatment, while those in the observation group received additional treatment of EA plus long-snake moxibustion. Both groups were treated for 12 weeks. The post-treatment changes in symptomatic grading and quantifying score, disease activity score with 28 joint counts (DAS28), and inflammatory indicators erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were observed, and the efficacy was evaluated. Results: The total effective rate in the observation group was 89.9％, versus 76.6％ in the control group, and there was a significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the symptomatic grading and quantifying score and DAS28 in both groups were significantly improved (all P<0.05), and the improvements in the observation group were more significant than those in the control group (both P<0.05). Besides, there were 11 cases with low disease activity index (DAI) and in remission in the observation group versus 5 cases in the control group, showing a statistically significant between-group difference (P<0.05). The ESR and CRP scores in both groups were significantly reduced after treatment (all P<0.05), also showing statistically significant between-group differences (both P<0.05). Conclusion: The efficacy of additional EA plus long-snake moxibustion based on oral medications for RA due to kidney deficiency and cold coagulation is better than that of the oral medications alone.