[Clinical observation on acupoint catgut embedding for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of acupoint catgut embedding and western medication for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

METHODS

Sixty cases were randomly divided into a catgut embedding group and a western medicine group, 30 cases in each group. The catgut embedding group was treated with acupoint catgut embedding at Geshu (BL 17), Ganshu (BL 18), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Fenglong (ST 40); the western medicine group was treated with oral administration of Tiopronin till the patients recovered normal liver function, then changed to take Xuezhikang capsule. Four weeks for a course of treatment, two groups were treated with two courses continuously. Then clinical symptoms, and levels of body mass index (BMI), obesity degree, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and CT ratio of liver and spleen before and after treatment were compared between two groups.

RESULTS

BMI, obesity degree and the levels of ALT, AST, gamma-GT, TC, TG in the serum decreased more significantly in two groups after treatment (all P<0.05), and there were significant differences between two groups (all P<0.05), the catgut embedding group decreased more significantly. CT ratio of liver and spleen was improved after treatment compared with that before treatment in two groups (both P<0.05), and the improvement of CT ratio of liver and spleen in the catgut embedding group was greater than that in the western medicine group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of 90.0% (27/30) in the catgut embedding group was superior to that of 76.7% (23/30) in the western medicine group, and the total efficiency of catgut embedding group was more effective than that in the western medicine group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Acupoint catgut embedding is an effective method for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and this therapy is superior to oral administration of Tiopronin and Xuezhikang capsule.