OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion on female obesity complicated with climacteric syndrome and its impact factors.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-one cases of female obesity complicated with climacteric syndrome were treated according to the basic principle as "pattern/syndrome differentiation". Accordingly, the reinforcing or reducing technique was applied at Quchi (LI 11), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Daheng (SP 15), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Neiting (ST 44), etc. The auricular point sticking was applied at Hunger Point, Ear-shenmen, Sympathetic Nerve, Endocrine and Stomach. The treatment was given once every two days. The duration of treatment was 3 months. The changes in the symptoms, physical signs, obesity index, Kupperman index, the vegetative equilibrium index (Value Y), estradiol (E2) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe obesity patients complicated with climacteric syndrome presented unusually high level of obesity index, Kupperman index and FSH levels and unusually low level of E2. After treatment, the obesity index, Kupperman index and FSH levels were all reduced significantly (all P < 0.01) while E2 level was increased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and moxibustion achieve the significant efficacy on obesity complicated with climacteric syndrome, which is closely related with the pattern/syndrome of the disorder and obesity grade. For the effective and curative rate of obesity index, the efficacy of liver qi stagnation pattern/syndrome is better than that at liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern/syndrome than spleen and kidney yang deficiency pattern/syndrome than liver and kidney yin deficiency pattern/syndrome than yin and yang deficiency pattern/syndrome; the efficacy of mild obesity is better than that at moderate obesity than severe obesity.