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Clinical study on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis of Shen (肾)-Sui (髓) insufficiency syndrome type by electroacupuncture

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Abstract

Objective

To study the clinical effificacy of electroacupuncture (EA) on treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of Shen (肾)-Sui (髓) insuffificiency (SSI) syndrome type.

Methods

A total of 245 patients (279 knees) of KOA-SSI were randomly assigned to two groups by lottery: 141 knees in the treatment group and 138 knees in the control group. The treatment group was managed with EA at the dominant points of Neixiyan (Ex-LE4) and Waixiyan (Ex-LE5) as well as the conjugate points of Xuanzhong (GB39) and Taixi (KI3) for 30 min, once a day, with 15 days as one course; 2 courses were applied with a 5-day interval in between. The control group was treated with intra-articular injection of 2 mL hyaluronic acid into the affected joint every 7 days for 5 times in total. The clinical effects on the patients in different stages were observed, and their symptom scores of knee and contents of cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2α (PGE2α) and matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3), in the knee joint fluid were measured before and after treatment.

Results

The study was completed in 235 patients (263 knees); four patients (7 knees) in the treatment group and six patients (9 knees) in the control group dropped out. Comparison of therapeutic effects (excellent and effective rates) between the two groups showed insignificant differences (P>0.05). Symptom scores of knee and contents of cytokines in the knee flfluid after treatment were lowered signifificantly in the patients of stage I–III in both groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, the lowering of the total symptom score of knee in the patients of stage III in the treatment group was more signifificant (P<0.05).

Conclusions

EA could effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms in KOA patients of stage III, showing an effect superior to that of hyaluronic acid. EA also shows action in suppressing the secretion of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, PGE2α and MMP-3 in the knee flfluid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Second People’s Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350003, China

    Ming-xia Wu  (吴明霞), Kun-da Hong  (洪昆达) & Li Li  (李 俐)

  2. The Integrative Institute of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China

    Xi-hai Li  (李西海) & Xian-xiang Liu  (刘献祥)

  3. Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Area, Fuzhou, 350005, China

    Mu-nan Lin  (林木南)

  4. Shanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China

    Xi-rui Jia  (贾希瑞)

  5. Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350003, China

    Rong Mu  (沐 榕)

  6. Xiamen Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian Province, 361001, China

    Wen-rong Wan  (万文蓉)

  7. Fuzhou Municipal Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Rui-hua Chen  (陈瑞华)

  8. Bao’an District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518133, China

    Li-hua Chen  (陈丽华)

  9. Fujian Provincial People’s Hospital, Fuzhou, 350004, China

    Wan-qing Lin  (林万庆)

  10. Quanzhou Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian, 362000, China

    Cong-yang Huang  (黄聪阳)

  11. Xinjing County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Province, 611430, China

    Xue-ru Zhang  (张学如)

Authors
  1. Ming-xia Wu  (吴明霞)
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  2. Xi-hai Li  (李西海)
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  3. Mu-nan Lin  (林木南)
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  4. Xi-rui Jia  (贾希瑞)
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  5. Rong Mu  (沐 榕)
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  6. Wen-rong Wan  (万文蓉)
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  7. Rui-hua Chen  (陈瑞华)
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  8. Li-hua Chen  (陈丽华)
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  9. Wan-qing Lin  (林万庆)
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  10. Cong-yang Huang  (黄聪阳)
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  11. Xue-ru Zhang  (张学如)
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  12. Kun-da Hong  (洪昆达)
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  13. Li Li  (李 俐)
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  14. Xian-xiang Liu  (刘献祥)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xian-xiang Liu  (刘献祥).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30873277) and the CHEN Ke-ji Development Fund of Integrative Medicine (No. CKJ2008003)

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Wu, Mx., Li, Xh., Lin, Mn. et al. Clinical study on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis of Shen (肾)-Sui (髓) insufficiency syndrome type by electroacupuncture. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 16, 291–297 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-010-0513-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-010-0513-1

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