title: [Efficacy observation on acupuncture and moxibustion combined with hot compress of TCM herbs for scleroderma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of surrounding needle, moxibustion and hot compress of TCM herbs for localized scleroderma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two cases of localized scleroderma were randomly divided into an acupuncture + herb group (23 cases, group A) and a heparin sodium group (19 cases, group B). Both the two groups were orally administrated with centella triterpenes tablets and vitamin E, group A was additionally treated with surrounding needle at local area, moxibustion at affected site and Hegu (LI 4), Zu sanli (ST 36) as well as hot external application of "hot compress herbs" at local location, while group B was treated with external application of heparin sodium cream. Both the two groups were treated for consecutive 6 months, and scores of skin sclerosis, joint pain and function were compared before and after the treatment. Also the efficacy and safety of TCM syndrome were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with that before the treatment, the scores of skin sclerosis, joint pain and joint function in the group A after treatment were significantly decreased (all P < 0.01), the score of skin sclerosis in the group B was improved (P < 0.05), and the three types of score in the group A was obviously lower than those in the group B (both P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 86.4% (19/22) in the group A, which was superior to 52.6% (10/19) in the group B (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surrounding needle, moxibustion and external application of "hot compress herbs" could improve skin sclerosis in patients with localized scleroderma, which has obvious efficacy and relative safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Shaanxi TCM Hospital, Xi'an 710004, China. yanxiaon2005@126.com
authors.forename: Xiao-Ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jian-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cai-Qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal