title: [Clinical observation on focal vitiligo treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion in comparison with medication].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the difference in clinical efficacy on focal vitiligo treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion in comparison with medication, and discuss its effect mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight cases were randomized into a moxibustion group (38 cases) and a medication group (30 cases). Additionally, 20 healthy persons were selected randomly as a normal group. In the moxibustion group, the heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied to Hegu(LI 4), Quchi(LI 11), Yanglingquan(GB 34), Zusanli(ST 36), Xuehai(SP 10) and the others, once a day. In the medication group, triamcinolone acetonide cream was used externally and locally, twice a day. In the two groups, the treatment of 15 days made one session. The efficacy was observed after continuous treatment for 3 sessions. The hemorheology test was done in all of the subjects. The radioimmunoassay was adopted to determine the levels of Interleukin 2 (IL-2), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha in vitiligo patients were higher significantly than those in the normal group (P<0. 01, P<0. 05), the level of IL-2 was lower significantly than that in the normal group (P<0. 01) before treatment. After 3 sessions treatment, IL-2 level was increased significantly in the moxibustion group and the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were reduced, without significant differences as compared with the normal group (all P>0. 05). But the differences were significant as compared with those in the medication group (all P<0. 05). The curative and remarkably effective rate was 76. 3% (29/38) after treatment in the moxibustion group, which was higher significantly than 13. 3% (4/30, P<0. 05) in the medication group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heat-sensitive moxibustion achieves very good clinical efficacy on focal vitiligo, which is probably via promoting blood circulation and regulating the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha.
authors.forename: Guo-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide