OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy between the combined acupuncture therapy of acupoint injection and fire needling and the oral administration of vitamin C and B2 as well as subcutaneous injection of transfer factor.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-eight patients of recurrent oral ulcer (ROU) differentiated as heat accumulation in the heart and spleen were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 79 cases in each, one. In the observation group, Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected for acupoint injection of shuang huanglian injection, 1 mL at each point, three times a week, for 2 weeks totally. Additionally, fire needling was applied to the ulcer lesion and peripheral mucosa, once a day, totally for 3 times. In the control group, vitamin C 100 mg and vitamin B2 20 mg were prescribed for oral administration, three times a day; and subcutaneous injection of transfer factor was applied, 2 mL (3 mg), twice a week, for 2 weeks totally. The score of symptoms and physical signs and the visual analogue scale (VAS) were observed before and after treatment, as well as the time of ulcer healing and ulcer recurrence in the patients of the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 92.4% (73/79) in the observation group, better than 77.2% (61/79) in the control group (P < 0.01). The differences in the score of symptoms and physical signs and VAS score before and after treatment were significant statistically in the observation group and the control group (all P < 0.01). The score of symptoms and physical signs and VAS score after treatment in the observation group were reduced significantly as compared with those in the control group (both P < 0.01). The time of ulcer healing in the observation group was earlier than that in the control group [(3.87 +/- 1.01) d vs. (6.22 +/- 0.53) d, P < 0.01]. The recurrence rate in the observation was lower than that in the control group [22.7% (17/75) vs. 50.0% (36/72), P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupoint injection and fire needling achieves the better efficacy on ROU compared with oral administration of vitamin and subcutaneous injection of transfer factor. This therapy has the good and quick effect of analgesia, relieves the relevant symptoms, shortens the time of ulcer healing and reduces the recurrence rate.