[Comparison of the clinical therapeutic effects between electroacupuncture and warming needle moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis of kidney deficiency and marrow insufficiency pattern/syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the actions of electroacupuncture (EA) and the warming needle moxibustion on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of kidney deficiency and marrow insufficiency pattern/syndrome and compare the clinical effects between these two therapies.


METHODS
Seventy-four cases of KOA were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a warming needle moxibustion (WNM) group, 37 cases in each one. The acupoints were Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Xuehai (SP 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. In EA group, electric stimulation was given, 5 Hz, continuous wave. In the WNM group, warm needling technique was applied, 2 moxa cones on each acupoint in each time, three treatments a week. Totally, 4 weeks of treatment were required. The indicaices such as WOMAC score, illness severity index and systematic efficacy were adopted to evaluate the efficacy before treatment, 1 session and 2 sessions after treatment separately.


RESULTS
The treatment in either group achieved the effectiveness. The cured and markedly effective rate was 64.7% (22/34) in EA group and was 40.0% (14/35) in WNM group, presenting statistically significant difference in comparison (P < 0.05). But the total effective rate did not indicate significance (P > 0.05). In EA group, the releasing effect of joint pain was obvious (P < 0.01). In the WNM group, the treatment was more advantageous at relieving joint stiffness (P < 0.01). There was no difference in the mean curative time between two groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Electroacupuncture and the warming needle moxibustion have their own advantages in the treatment of KOA of kidney deficiency and marrow insufficiency pattern/syndrome. Electroacupuncture is advantageous at analgesia and the warming needle moxibustion is at relieving joint stiffness. The total efficacy of electroacupuncture is superior to that of the warming needle moxibustion.
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Suzhou Hospital of TCM, Suzhou 215009, Jiangsu Province, China.
Jie
J
Gao
Ba-Si
BS
Ouyang
Yin
Y
Zhang
Jun
J
Li
Hai-Zhou
HZ
Yang
Ling-Ling
LL
Ji
Yuan-Jian
YJ
Wu
Wei
W
Wang
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome