Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
- Author:
Kai-Yang XUE
1
;
Fei QUAN
1
;
Jia-Xuan TANG
1
;
Cai-Hong XIAO
2
;
Chun-Xia LU
2
;
Jin CUI
1
Author Information
1. College of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Guizhou University of TCM, Guiyang 550025, China.
2. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of TCM.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
T lymphocyte subsets;
acupuncture;
bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion;
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS);
randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- MeSH:
Humans;
Moxibustion;
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/therapy*;
Acupuncture Therapy;
Physical Examination
- From:
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion
2023;43(5):493-498
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE:To observe the clinical efficacy of bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to preliminarily explore its action mechanism.
METHODS:Sixty-four patients with CFS were randomly divided into a moxibustion group (32 cases, 1 case dropped off, 1 case excluded) and an acupuncture group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the moxibustion group were treated with bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion, while the patients in the acupuncture group were treated with routine acupuncture. Both groups were treated once a day, 6 days as a course of treatment with 1 day interval, for a total of 2 courses of treatment. Before treatment, 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up of 14 days after treatment, the fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) and somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) scores were observed in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were measured and CD+4/CD+8 ratio was calculated; the clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared.
RESULTS:Compared before treatment, the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the two groups were decreased 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up (P<0.01), and the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the moxibustion group were lower than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared before treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio in the moxibustion group were increased after treatment (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio between before and after treatment in the acupuncture group (P>0.05). After treatment, the contents of CD+3 and CD+4 in the moxibustion group were higher than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the moxibustion group, which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION:Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion could improve the physical and mental fatigue symptoms and psychological status in patients with CFS. Its effect may be related to regulating the contents of CD+3, CD+4 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and CD+4/CD+8 ratio.
