title: [Randomized controlled clinical trails for treatment of knee osteoarthritis by warm acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the synergism of warm acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate on knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 179 KOA outpatients were randomized into warm acupuncture group (n=90) and control group (n=89) according to a randomized numeral table. Warm acupuncture (needle warmed by moxibustion) was applied to Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Nèixīyan(EX-LE4), etc. from the second day on after intra-articular Injection of sodium hyaluronate (2 mL, once a week for 5 weeks). Sodium hyaluronate intra-articular injection was given to the patients alone in the control group. Knee joint motor function was scaled before, 2 weeks (W) and 5 W after the therapy. The patients' quality of life was determined by using "Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale" before and 5 W after the therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with pre-therapy, the knee-joint motor function scores of both control group and acupuncture group were increased progressively and significantly 2 W and 5 W after the therapy. Both the knee-joint motor function score and the therapeutic effective rate of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.001, P<0.05). After the therapy, the scores of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.01), and that of the acupuncture group was obviously lower than that of the control group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Warm acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate is an effective therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266011, China. zhangyusen1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yu-sen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-xuan
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid