title: [Controlled study of needle warming therapy and electroacupuncture on simple obesity of spleen deficiency type].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare therapeutic effects of needle warming therapy and electroacupuncture on simple obesity with spleen deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight cases of simple obesity with spleen deficiency, including water-dampness retention due to spleen deficiency, qi-deficiency of the lung and spleen, yang-deficiency of the spleen and kidney, were randomly divided into a needle warming therapy group (n = 36) and an electroacupuncture group (n = 32). Zhongwan(CV 12), Shuifen (CV 9), Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Tianshu (ST 25), Shuidao (ST 28), and so on were selected as main acupoints in the both groups. Their therapeutic effects and body mass indexes were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total effective rate was 88.9% in the needle warming therapy group and 71.9% in the electroacupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); and there was a significant difference between the two groups in decrease of body mass index (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Needle warming therapy has definite and long-term therapeutic effect on simple obesity with spleen deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion & Meridian, Shanghai 200030, China. flysy0636@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Lin-Shan
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiao-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy; D013154:Spleen