title: [Knee osteoarthritis treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy difference in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis between acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3) and the conventional acupoints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty four cases were random into a Neiguanc (PC 6) Taichong (LR 3) group observation group (20 cases) and a conventional group control group (24 cases). In the observention group, acupuncture was applied to Neiguan (PC 6) on the healthy side and Taichong (LR 3) on the affected side. The acupoints were selected bilaterally if both knees were affected. In the control group, acupuncture was applied to Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35), Zusanli (ST 36) and the others on the affected side. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used for assessment of theraputic effect after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The score of VAS and pain, stiffness and function impairment of WOMAC were lower apparently than those before treatment in both groups (all P < 0.001). VAS score after treatment in the observation group was lower apparently than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The differences in each item score of WOMAC after treatment were not significant statistically between the two groups (all P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3) achieves the similar efficacy on knee osteoarthritis as the conventional acupoints, but the former is more simple and convenient.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Massage Department, Beijing Hospital of Ministry of Health, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome