title: Economic evaluation of treating herpes zoster with various methods of acupuncture and moxibustion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the cost effect of surrounding acupuncture plus electric acupuncture, cotton-sheet moxibustion, puncturing with red-hot needles, tapping plus cupping on herpes zoster.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred patients with herpes zoster were randomly divided into group A (surrounding acupuncture plus electric acupuncture), group B (cotton-sheet moxibustion), group C (puncturing with red-hot needles), group D (tapping plus cupping), and group E (Western medicine). The treatment was carried out twice a day in group E and once a day in the other four groups. The curative effect was observed on the 10th day of treatment; the cost was calculated for the five therapies, and the cost-effect ratio (C/E) and increment ratio (delta C/delta E) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the 10-day treatment, there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) in the curative effect among the five groups. Pain being alleviated one day faster than in group E amounted to a saving of RMB 21.90 yuan in group A, a saving of RMB 21.87 yuan in group B, a saving of RMB 26.00 yuan in group C, and a saving of RMB 20.23 yuan in group D. Compared with group C, the values of delta C/delta E were RMB 1.55, 2.81, and 0.21 yuan in groups A, B, and D, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The curative effect in groups A, B, C, and D was similar to that in group E, but the C/E was better than in group E.
authors.affiliation: Doctorate postgraduate of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Massage College of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun-Kuan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xi-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Lin-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Xiao-Shu
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D059408:Pain Management / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods