title: [Clinical study on electrical plum-blossom needle for treatment of amblyopia in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To comparatively study the clinical effect of electrical plum-blossom needle on ametropic amblyopia and anisometropic amblyopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty children (107 eyes) with ametropic amblyopia or anisometropic amblyopia were randomly assigned to two groups at their first visit on the basis of optometry. They had never received any treatment before. Patients in one group were treated with electrical plum-blossom needle (as the treatment group) and those in the other group were treated with physical comprehensive therapy (as the control group). The 1-month clinical effect was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1-month total effective rate was 79.6% (43/54) in the treatment group and 58.5% (31/53) in the control group. Statistical significance was shown in clinical effect after statistical management. The electrical plum-blossom needle showed better effect than the comprehensive therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The electrical plum-blossom needle for treatment of amblyopia in children could initiate faster with good compliance. Its short-term effect was definite with no side effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing. wulie2@sina.com
authors.forename: Lie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Guo-liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying-xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles