OBJECTIVETo observe the difference in the therapeutic efficacy of warm needling therapy on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients of different Chinese medical syndrome types.

METHODSTotally 197 KOA outpatients [including wind-cold-damp retention syndrome (50 cases, 61 knees), yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (48 cases, 58 knees), stagnation of blood stasis syndrome (49 cases, 63 knees), and insufficiency of Shen-essence syndrome (50 cases, 66 knees)] were treated with warm needling therapy, 10 days as one therapeutic course, 3 courses in total. The symptom score and changes of clinical efficacy were assessed. The contents of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the synovial fluid were determined before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe symptom scores and the clinical efficacy were improved in all syndrome groups after treatment (P < 0.05), with the best effects shown in the yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (P < 0.05) and the worst effects shown in the stagnation of blood stasis syndrome (P < 0.05). The contents of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in the synovial fluid decreased after treatment in all syndrome groups (P < 0.05), with the best effects shown in the yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWarm needling therapy had favorable therapeutic effects on KOA patients of wind-cold-damp retention syndrome, yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome, and insufficiency of Shen-essence syndrome, with the best effects shown on KOA patients of yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome.