OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy differences between acupoint catgut embedding combined with auricular point pressure with beans and nilestriol on menopausal syndrome of liver-kidney deficiency type, and to explore their effects on estradiol (E).

METHODSSixty patients with menopausal syndrome of liver-kidney deficiency type were randomly divided into an acupoint stimulation group and a medication group, 30 cases in each group. The patients in the acupoint stimulation group were treated by acupoint catgut embedding at Taixi (KI 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenshu (BL 23), Ganshu (BL 18) and Taichong (LR 3), combined with auricular point pressure at Gan (CO), Shen (CO), Neifenmi (CO), Shenmen (TF), Pizhixia (AT); the treatment was given once a week for consecutive four weeks. The patients in the medication group were treated with oral administration of nilestriol, 1 mg, once a day, combined with oral administration of oryzanol, 20 mg, three times per day for consecutive four weeks. The clinical symptom score was compared between the two groups before and after treatment as well as in follow-up visit. The level of Ewas obserced before and after treatment, and the clinical effect was compared.

RESULTS(1) Compared before treatment, the clinical symptom score in the two groups was significantly reduced after treatment and in follow-up visit (all<0.05); In follow-up visit, the clinical symptom score in the acupoint stimulation group was significantly lower than that in the medication group (<0.05). The different value before treatment and at follow-up in the acupoint stimulation group was better than that in the medication group (<0.05). (2) Compared before treatment, the level of Ein the two groups were increased after treatment (both<0.05); compared before and after treatment, the difference in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the medication group (<0.05). (3) After treatment, the total effective rate was 93.33% (28/30) in the acupoint stimulation group, which was similar to 90.00% (27/30) in the medication group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with nilestriol, acupoint catgut embedding combined with auricular point pressure with beans could better improve clinical symptoms for patients with menopausal syndrome of liver-kidney deficiency type, and increased the level of E.

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy differences between acupoint catgut embedding combined with ginger-partitioned moxibustion and regular acupuncture on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) of spleen-kidneydeficiency syndrome, and to explore its effects on T lymphocyte subsets and activity of NK cell.

METHODSA total of 60 patients with CFS of spleen-kidneydeficiency syndrome were randomly divided into a catgut embedding combined with ginger-partitioned moxibustion (CECGP) group and a regular acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one. The patients in the CECGP group were treated with acupoint catgut embedding combined with ginger-partitioned moxibustion; the acupoint catgut embedding was applied at Guanyuan (CV 4), Shenshu (BL 23), Pishu (BL 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Qihai (CV 6), once a week, while the ginger-partitioned moxibustion was applied at Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and Zusanli (ST 36), once every three days for consecutive one month. The patients in the regular acupuncture group were treated with regular acupuncture at Guanyuan (CV 4), Shenshu (BL 23), Pishu (BL 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Qihai (CV 6), once a day, 6 treatments per week (one day for rest) for consecutive one month. The clinical symptom scores, fatigue scale-14 (FS-14), fatigue assessment instrument (FAI), laboratory test results and total effective rate were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.

RESULTS(1) After treatment, the clinical symptom scores, FS-14 and FAI were reduced in the two groups (all<0.05); after treatment, the clinical symptom scores, FS-14 and FAI in the CECGP group were significantly lower than those in the regular acupuncture group (all<0.05). (2) After treatment, the CD/CD, natural killer cell% (NK%), CD%, CD% were all increased in the two groups (all +4<0.05); the CD/CD, CD%, CD% in the CECGP group were significantly higher than those in the regular acupuncture group (all<0.05). (3) After treatment, the total effective rate was 96.7% (29/30) in the CECGP group, which was similar to 93.3% (28/30) in the regular acupuncture group (>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe acupoint catgut embedding combined with ginger-partitioned moxibustion, which could effectively relieve the symptoms, regulate T lymphocyte subsets and the activity of NK cell, is an effective method for CFS of spleen-kidneydeficiency syndrome.