OBJECTIVETo investigate therapeutic effects of stiletto needle and Dichofenac Diethylammon in treating knee osteoarthritis pain at early and medium-term.

METHODSSixty-seven patients with early and medium-term knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups, 34 cases in stiletto needle group (treatment group) and 33 cases in Dichofenac Diethylammon (control group). Among them, 60 patients finished treatment and followed-up for 1 months (7 cases fall off totally, 4 cases in treatment group and 3 cases in control group). In treatment group, there were 5 males and 25 females with a mean age of (55.90 +/- 9.34) years (ranged, 40 to 68 years), the course of disease for 0.25 to 1 year, mean (0.87 +/- 0.34) years, treated by stiletto needle once a week, and 3 weeks were a course. In control group, there were 6 males and 24 females with a mean age of (58.67 +/- 7.39) years (ranged, 40 to 70 years), the course of disease for 0.25 to 2 years, mean (0.93 +/- 0.60) years, treated by Dichofenac Diethylammon, three times a day for 3 weeks. Soft tissue displacement and banana area were tested by soft tissue tension tester, pressure value were measured by pressure measuring instrument, VAS score were recorded by pain visual analog scale record, HSS scoring and effects were used to evaluated and statistical analyzed.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in tissue displacement, banana area, pressure value, VAS scoring and HSS scoring between two groups before and after treatment, and tissue displacement, pressure value, HSS scoring in treatment group were higher than control group, while banana area and VAS scoring were lower than control group. According to HSS scoring and VAS scoring, 3 cases were healed, 8 cases were markedly improved, 18 cases were effective and 1 case was effectiveless in treatment group;while 1 case was healed, 4 cases were markedly improved, 20 cases were effective and 5 cases were effectiveless in control group. There was no significant meaning in therapeutic effects.

CONCLUSIONStiletto needle for knee osteoarthritis pain can effectively reduce high tension of local soft tissue ,alleviate symptom of pain, and improve knee function.