OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect difference between acupuncture combined with Chinese herb plus western medicine and simple western medicine in the treatment of compensated liver cirrhosis.

METHODSEighty cases were divided into a high viral load group and a low viral load group according to HBV-DNA test. The patients in two groups were randomly divided into a Chinese medicine plus western medicine treatment group (group A, group C) and a western medicine treatment group (Group B,group D), respectively, 20 cases in each group. The group A was treated with acupuncture at Ganshu (BL 18), Qimen (LR 14), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. and oral administration of Chinese herbal decoction combined with Heptodin tablets; the group B with oral administration of Glucurolactone tablets combined with Heptodin tablets; the group C was treated with acupuncture at Ganshu (BL 18), Qimen (LR 14), Taixi (KI 3), etc. and oral administration of Chinese herbal decoction; the group D with oral administration of Glucurolactone tablets alone. After they were treated for 30 days, their therapeutic effects and the negative conversion rate of HBV-DNA were observed.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 95.0% in the group A was better than 70.0% in the group B, and the total effective rate of 95.0% in the group C was better than 65.0% in the group D (both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the negative conversion rate of HBV-DNA between group A and group B or between group C and group D (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with Chinese herb plus western medicine treatment can more significantly improve clinical symptoms of the patients with compensated liver cirrhosis than simple western medicine therapy.