OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of acupuncture combined with acupoint catgut embedding sequential therapy and medication for mild and moderate ulcerative colitis.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients were randomized into an acupuncture and acupoint catgut embedding sequential therapy group (a combination group) and a mesalazine group, 60 cases in each one. Fifty-seven cases in the combination group and 55 cases in the mesalazine group were included into analysis. In the combination group, acupuncture was applied at Tianshu (ST 25), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Quchi (LI 11) during the activity period, and acupoint catgut embedding was applied at Pishu (BL 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4) during the alleviate period. The patients in the mesalazine group were treated with mesalazine orally. The treatment was given for 12 weeks. The scores of TCM symptoms, colonoscopy, mucosa healing rate were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The effects, adverse reactions and the recurrent rates during 1-year follow-up were observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms decreased in the two groups (both <0.05), and the result in the combination group was better than that in the mesalazine group (<0.05). The total effective rate in the combination group was 87.7% (50/57), which was better than 70.9% (39/55) in the mesalazine group (<0.05). The colonoscopy scores decreased after treatment in the two groups (both <0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups on colonoscopy score and mucosal healing rate [50.9% (29/57) vs 34.5% (19/55), both >0.05]. The recurrent rate in the combination group was 8.5% (4/47)，which was lower than 32.4% (11/34) in the mesalazine group (<0.05). No severe adverse reaction was found during the treatment in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with acupoint catgut embedding sequential therapy can improve mild and moderate ulcerative colitis and reduce the recurrent rate.