Bao Fei, Zhang Yan, Wu Zhi-Hong, Wang Yan, Sheng Min, Hu Na, Feng Feng, Wang Dao-Hai, Zhang Yun-Xiang, Li Tao, Sun Hua
TCM Department, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2013 Mar;33(3):193-7.
To observe therapeutic efficacy of osteoarthritis treated by electroacupuncture, and explore its function of promoting cartilage restoration.
According to random digital table, sixty cases of knee osteoarthritis (60 knees) were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group and a physiotherapy group, 15 cases (30 knees) in each one. The electroacupuncture was applied at Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35), Heding (EX-LE 2) and Xuehai (SP 10) in the electroacupuncture group, once every other day. The physiotherapy group was treated by medium-frequency therapeutic apparatus every day. For both groups, 4 weeks of treatment were required. The Lysholm knee scoring scale (LKSS) was used to evaluate and compare the knee joints function before and after treatment. At the same time, the GE Signa EXCITE Twin Speed HD 1.5T was used to take MRI examination of knee joints, and measure the T2 values in 10 sub-regions of the cartilage of tibiofemoral joints.
Compared before treatment, the LKSS score of both groups were improved with significant differences except item demands for support (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Between the two groups after treatment, there were significant differences on total score, item instability and swelling (all P < 0.05), the electroacupuncture group was better than the physiotherapy group, but no significant difference on the other items (all P > 0.05). In the electroacupuncture group after treatment, T2 value in anterior lateral tibial sub-region (LTa) was significantly lowered (P < 0.05), but no significant difference in the other nine sub-regions (all P > 0.05). In the physiotherapy group, T2 value in any sub-region was not significantly different before and after treatment (all P > 0.05).
Electroacupuncture could effectively improve the symptom, sign and knee joint's function of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Compared with physiotherapy, it has more superior effect and considered as a better non-operative treatment for osteoarthritis. Electroacupuncture also has positive influence on T2 value in cartilage, indicating that electroacupuncture may have the function of promoting cartilage restoration.
观察电针治疗骨关节炎的疗效，探讨其促进软骨修复的作用。
按照随机数字表法，将60例膝骨关节炎患者（60膝）随机分为电针组和理疗组，每组15例（30膝）。电针组取内膝眼（EX-LE 4）、犊鼻（ST 35）、鹤顶（EX-LE 2）、血海（SP 10）进行电针治疗，隔日1次。理疗组每日使用中频治疗仪治疗。两组均治疗4周。采用Lysholm膝关节评分量表（LKSS）对治疗前后膝关节功能进行评估和比较。同时，使用GE Signa EXCITE Twin Speed HD 1.5T对膝关节进行MRI检查，测量胫股关节软骨10个亚区域的T2值。
与治疗前比较，两组LKSS评分均升高，除支撑需求项外差异均有统计学意义（P<0.01，P<0.05）。治疗后两组间总评分、不稳定项及肿胀项差异均有统计学意义（均P<0.05），电针组优于理疗组，其他项差异无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。电针组治疗后胫骨前外侧亚区域（LTa）T2值明显降低（P<0.05），其他9个亚区域差异无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。理疗组治疗前后各亚区域T2值差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。
电针可有效改善膝骨关节炎患者的症状、体征及膝关节功能。与理疗相比，电针疗效更优，是骨关节炎较好的非手术治疗方法。电针对软骨T2值也有积极影响，提示电针可能具有促进软骨修复的作用。
