Knee osteoarthritis treated with acupuncture based on syndrome differentiation:a randomized controlled trial

Objective To compare the efficacy differences between acupuncture and western medicine in treating osteoarthritis of knee joints.Methods One hundred and twenty cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a western medication group with 60 cases in each group.In the acupuncture group,acupuncture was applied mainly at Nèixīyǎn（内膝眼 EX-LE 4）,Dúbí（犊鼻 ST 35）,Yīnlíngquán（阴陵泉 SP 9） and Yánglíngquán（阳陵泉 GB 34） plus other acupoints selected according to syndrome differentiation.In the medication group,Glucosamine Hydrochloride capsules were orally given 3 times daily with 2 capsules each time.Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index（WOMAC）,Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey（SF-36,Chinese version） were used to assess therapeutic effects before treatment,after 4 weeks treatment and 9 weeks after treatment,respectively.Results After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rates were 86.7%（52/60） and 88.3%（53/60） in the acupuncture group and the western medication group,respectively,without significant difference（P〈0.05）.In 9 weeks after treatment,the total effective rates were 83.3%（50/60） and 61.7%（37/60） in the acupuncture group and the western medication group,respectively,with significant difference between the two groups（P〈0.05）.According to WOMAC and SF-36,the scores were all improved in both groups（P〈0.05,P〈0.01）,with significant difference in follow-up visit of 9 weeks after treatment between the two groups（P〈0.05,P〈0.01）,but not after 4 weeks of treatments（both P〈0.05）.Conclusion Short-term of therapeutic effects of acupuncture and oral administration of Glucosamine Hydrochloride on osteoarthritis of knee joints are similar,but long-term efficacy in the acupuncture group is better than that in the western medication group.

Treatment of Facial Chloasma by Auricular Pressure in41 Cases

According to differentiating syndrome and dividing patter, 41 cases of Facial Chloasma by Auricular Pressure in Shen (MA-AH), Fei (MA-IC 1), Neifenmi (MA-IC 3), Luanchao (MA-AT), Mianjia (MA-L) and Xia’erbei (MA-IC), the total effective rate was 87.8%. Key Words Skin Pigmentation, Chloasma - Auricular Point Sticking - Syndrome Differ Treatment Author: Liu Guang-xia (1954-), female, associate professorTranslator: Xiao Yuan-chun

Consideration on diagnosis and treatment based on an overall analysis of symptoms and signs in acupuncture clinic

There is worrying about current clinical situation on diagnosis and treatment based on an overall analysis of symptoms and signs in acupuncture. Japanese specialists in the acupuncture field have pointed out that sufficient attention should be paid to its various malpractices. Responding to their questioning, the author put forward some main problems existing and made certain analysis. Diagnosis and treatment based on an overall analysis of symptoms and signs should be expressed in their application according to successive theories, methods, prescriptions, acupoints and techniques. In order to elevate therapeutic effects of acupuncture, forth effort should be put to various aspects, such as clinical skills, functional regularity, indications and affected factors.

Integrated Chinese-western therapy versus western therapy alone on survival rate in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer at middlelate stage

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of integrated Chinese-Western therapy versus Western therapy alone on the survival rate of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at middle-late stage and to evaluate prognostic factors. METHODS: We selected 98 inpatients with middle-late stage NSCLC diagnosed from March 2009 to March 2011 and randomly divided them into two groups, with 49 cases in each group, and the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.The control group was treated by the combined methods of Western Medicine, including chemotherapy, supportive treatment and symptomatic treatment. The observation group was treated by injection and prescriptions of Chinese medicine based on Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation and by the same combined methods of western treatment used in the control group. After treatment, the survival rates of the patients were compared by the stage of cancer and evaluation of 24 prognostic factors analyzed by a Cox regressionmodel, and the clinical data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The survival rates of all patients were over 90.0% at 1 and 3 months after treatment with no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05); In the observation group the survival rates at 6 months and 1 year were 93.4% and 42.8%, respectively, being superior to 85.6% and 18.3% in the control group (P<0.05). The median survival time in the observation group was superior to the control group (P<0.05); The effects of 24 prognostic factors were significantly better in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Integrated Chinese-western therapy can significantly improve the survival rate in patients with middle-late stage NSCLC and improve prognostic factors compared with western therapy alone.