OBJECTIVETo search for a therapeutic program for increasing the therapeutic effect of western medicine on rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSNinety-six cases of RA were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group, 48 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with heat electroacupuncture instrument with Chinese herb iontophoresis, combined with Meloxicam, Salazosulfamide, and Methotrexate. The control group with simple the western medicine. After treatment of a month, changes of the morning stiff duration, grasp strength, number of tenderness joints, tenderness index, joint rest pain, number of swelling joints, swelling index, assessment of the patient and doctor, and blood rheumatism factor (RF), C-response protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts (PLT) were investigated.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 79.2% in the treatment group and 52.1% in the control group, the treatment group being significantly better than the control group (P < 0.01). After treatment of one month, morning stiff duration, average grasp strength of the both hands, tenderness of joint and swelling of joints significantly improved (P < 0.01), with the treatment group being superior to the control group (P < 0.01). After treatment, blood RF, CRP, ESR, WBC and PLT decreased in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the decreases of blood CRP, ESR, PLT in the treatment group were more significantly as compared with the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of heat needle combined with herb iontophoresis and western medicine is superior to simple medicine for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.