OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference for vascular dementia among flipping moxibustion of medicine at acupoints in governor vessel combined with acupuncture, simple medicine and simple acupuncture. METHODS: A total of 120 patients with vascular dementia were randomly assigned into a combination group, a flipping moxibustion group and an acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one, with 2 patients dropping respectively. Flipping moxibustion was used at the acupoints of group A on Monday and at the acupoints of group B on Friday in the flipping moxibustion group. The acupoints of group A were Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenzhu (GV 12), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jizhong (GV 6), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), and the acupoints of group B were Fengfu (GV 16), Taodao (GV 13), Shendao (GV 11), Jinsuo (GV 8), Xuanshu (GV 5), Changqiang (GV 1). Acupuncture was used in the acupuncture group at the main acupoints of Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Taixi (KI 3) and Xuanzhong (GB 39), matched with the acupoints based on syndrome differentiation, 30 min a time, once a day, continuous 5 times a week. The above two methods were applied in the combination group. All the treaments were for 4 weeks. The indexes were observed before and after treatment, including syndrome differentiationof TCM scale for vascular dementia (SDSVD), simple mental state scale (MMSE), self-care ability of daily life scale (ADL). The clinical effects and safety were evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the total effective rate in the combination group was 89.5% (34/38); the rate in the flipping moxibustion group was 65.8% (25/38); the rate in the acupuncture group was 63.2% (24/38). The difference among groups was statistically significant (<0.05). The effect in the combination group was better than those in the flipping moxibustion group and in the acupuncture group (both <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the flipping moxibustion group and the acupuncture group (>0.05). The SDSVD scores after treatment were lower and the MMSE and ADL scores after treatment were higher than those before treatment in the three groups (all <0.01), with better results on the above three scores in the combination group than those in the other two groups (<0.05, <0.01), and the differences on the three scores between the flipping moxibustion group and the acupuncture group were not statiatically significant (all >0.05). The treatment in the three groups was safe, without stastical significance (>0.05). CONCLUSION The effect of flipping moxibustion combined with acupuncture for vascular dementia is better than those of simple flipping moxibustion and simple acupuncture. The combination treatment achieves better effect on TCM syndrome, cognitive function and daily activity ability than the other two simple treatment.
Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Points ; Dementia, Vascular ; Humans ; Moxibustion