Yang Qiwang, Xu Nenggui, Guo Lidong, Li Hui, Li Xiaoyan, Zeng Qingmei, Zhang Wenyue, Li Shiping, Yi Wei
Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Integr Med Res. 2025 Jun;14(2):101151. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101151. Epub 2025 May 14.
Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) is considered an effective treatment for simple obesity, though high-quality clinical evidence remains lacking. To establish a solid evidence base in obesity management, well-designed studies are needed to verify both the short- and long-term efficacy and safety of ACE.
In this randomized controlled, double-blind trial, 120 patients with simple obesity were initially allocated to verum ACE ( = 60) or sham ACE group ( = 60) .One participant allocated to the verum group was excluded during screening for failing to meet BMI criteria (<24 kg/m²), resulting in a final cohort of 59 verum and 60 sham cases completing the 12-week intervention and 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome was the change in body weight from baseline to week 12. Secondary outcomes included body weight change at 12-week follow-up, cumulative weight change by week 24, changes in body mass index (BMI), body fat status, body circumference, and appetite indicators.
After the 12-week treatment, both groups showed varying degrees of weight loss, with the verum ACE group experiencing a significantly greater reduction compared to the sham group. At the 12-week follow-up, the visceral fat grade of the verum group was significantly greater than that of sham group. The waist, upper arm, and thigh girths in the verum group decreased significantly more than that in sham group; the reduction degree of waist-hip ratio was significantly better than that in the sham group at all time points. Additionally, the cumulative reduction in appetite factors was significantly higher in the verum group compared to the sham group.
ACE can significantly reduce body weight, and is both long-lasting and safe. It also has beneficial effects on fat distribution, body circumference, and appetite, making it a promising complementary therapy for simple obesity.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100046693.
穴位埋线被认为是治疗单纯性肥胖的一种有效方法，尽管仍缺乏高质量的临床证据。为了在肥胖管理方面建立坚实的证据基础，需要设计良好的研究来验证穴位埋线的短期和长期疗效及安全性。
在这项随机对照双盲试验中，120例单纯性肥胖患者最初被分配到真穴埋线组（n = 60）或假穴埋线组（n = 60）。在筛选过程中，有1例分配到真穴埋线组的参与者因未达到BMI标准（<24kg/m²）而被排除，最终有59例真穴埋线组和60例假穴埋线组的病例完成了12周的干预和12周的随访。主要结局是从基线到第12周体重的变化。次要结局包括12周随访时的体重变化、第24周时的累积体重变化、体重指数（BMI）、体脂状况、体围和食欲指标的变化。
经过12周的治疗，两组均出现了不同程度的体重减轻，真穴埋线组的体重减轻幅度明显大于假穴埋线组。在12周随访时，真穴埋线组的内脏脂肪等级明显高于假穴埋线组。真穴埋线组的腰围、上臂围和大腿围的减少幅度明显大于假穴埋线组；在所有时间点，腰臀比的降低程度明显优于假穴埋线组。此外，真穴埋线组食欲因素的累积降低幅度明显高于假穴埋线组。
穴位埋线能显著减轻体重，且持久安全。它对脂肪分布、体围和食欲也有有益影响，使其成为治疗单纯性肥胖的一种有前景的辅助疗法。
中国临床试验注册中心，ChiCTR2100046693。
