Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Spondylosis ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of O3 acupoint injection for treatment of low back pain.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases of low back pain were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group, a Danggui injectio point injection group and an O3 acupoint injection group. They were treated with EA, Danggui acupoint injection and O3 (30 microg/mL) acupoint injection at Qihaishu (BL 24), Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 25) and local Ashi points.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in the therapeutic effect as the O3 acupoint injection group compared with the EA group and the Danggui point injection group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the EA group and the Danggui point injection group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe O3 acupoint injection is a convenient and highly effective therapy for low back pain.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage

Epidural Space ; Female ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; etiology ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Spinal Puncture ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical therapeutic effects between ozone and triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of mild meniscal injury.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to December 2012, 119 patients with meniscal injury diagnosed as type I or II by MRI were divided into three groups. In the triamcinolone acetonide (A) group, there were 38 males and 2 females, with an average age of (25.34 +/- 6.34) years old, ranging from 18 to 48 years old; 36 patients had single knee injuries, 4 patients had double knee injuries and 44 knees with joint effusion. In the ozone (B) group,there were 37 males and 2 females, with an average age of (26.98 +/- 7.20) years old, ranging from 19 to 50 years old; 33 patients had single knee injuries, 6 patiens had double knees injuries and 40 knees with joint effusion. In the combination of ozone and triamcinolone acetonide (C) group, there were 37 males and 3 females,with an average age of (26.44 +/- 6.38) years old, ranging from 18 to 47 years old; 33 patients had single knee injuries, 7 patients had double knees injuries and 39 knees with joint effusion. The patients were treated with injection of 3 mg triamcinolone acetonide alone, 30 ml (30 microg/ml) ozone alone, or both two drugs respectively in knee joint cavity. All the treatment methods were carried out weekly and 4 times injections were required for a treatment course. Knee joint function was evaluated by Lysholm scale and knee joint effusion was examined by MRI before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe scale of knee joint function was 35.68 +/- 4.15 and 65.55 +/- 7.66 in group A, 36.35 +/- 6.83 and 74.39 +/- 8.47 in group B, 36.62 +/- 6.03 and 95.47 +/- 4.78 in group C before and after treatment. Compared with that before treatment, the total scale of knee joint function improved after treatment in every group. The total scale of group C was better than that of the other groups after the treatment,but there was no significant difference between group A and group B. The effective rate of these drugson joint effusion was 68.18% in group A, 62.5% in group B and 87.18% in group C. The effect of co-injection on joint effusion in group C was significantly better than that of triamcinolone acetonide or ozone alone, but the difference between group A and group B was not significant.

CONCLUSIONOzone and triamcinolone acetonide are effective in the treatment of mild meniscal injury, which can relieve symptoms and promote the recovery of joint function. Campared with the single injection, the combination of ozone and triamcinolone acetonide is better.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; drug therapy ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP) on epithelial cadherin (E-cd) expression in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in vitro.

METHODSThe effect of CGRP on E-cd protein and mRNA expression in both normal and O3-challenged HBECs were determined by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. The signal transduction pathways of CGRP were observed by using protein kinase C(PKC) inhibitor (H-7), calmodulin(CaM) inhibitor (W-7) and PKA inhibitor (H-89).

RESULTSCGRP increased E-cd mRNA and protein expressions of normal and O3-challenged HBECs in a dose-dependent manner. CGRP had no effect on cytoplasm E-cd expression. Pre-treatment with H-89, H-7 and W-7, the up-regulatory effect of CGRP on E-cd expression was partly abolished.

CONCLUSIONCGRP increased in cytomembrane E-cd expression of normal and O3-challenged HBECs in a dose-dependent manner. E-cd expression on HBECs was strengthened by CGRP via PKA, PKC and CaM pathways.

Bronchi ; cytology ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Ozone ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of targeted percutaneous injection of medical ozone through the posterior approach via the spinal canal and dural sac under CT guidance for treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSIn 262 patients with lumbar disc herniation, medical ozone was injected percutaneously under CT guidance into the lumbar intervertebral disc by the posterior approach at paramedian 1-2 cm from the spinous process, targeting the affected lumbar discs, protruded nucleus pulposus and ipsilateral lateral recess. The concentration of ozone was 40-50 µg/ml in the disc/protruded nucleus pulposus and 30 µg/ml in the lateral recess (around the nerve root).

RESULTSThe treatment procedures were successfully completed in all the 262 patients. The average scores of JOA and VAS before treatment were 8.30∓1.4 and 8.73∓0.8, and changed significantly to 24.16∓3.2 (P=0.0158) and 2.41∓0.2 (P=0.0242) after treatment, respectively. According to the modified MacNab criteria, the therapeutic effect was excellent in 165 cases, fair in 64 cases, acceptable in 20 cases, and poor in 13 cases, with a total success rate of 87.4%. No patient showed serious complications after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONCompared with routine ozone therapy by the posterior-lateral approach, targeted percutaneous ozone injection into the intervertebral disc by the modified posterior approach is safe and yields better therapeutic effect for lumbar disc herniation.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; methods ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Spinal Canal ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic effect of ozone therapy combined with sulfasalazine sulfasalazine delivered via a colon therapy system in the treatment of distal ulcerative colitis.

METHODSThis prospective randomized controlled clinical trial involved 54 patients with mild to moderate active distal ulcerative colitis, who were randomize into 3 groups in accordance with the inclusion criteria (n=18). Each group was given sulfasalazine at the daily dose of 2 g, and in colon therapy group and ozone therapy plus sulfasalazine therapy group, sulfasalazine was delivered via a colon therapy system on a daily basis; the control group received sulfasalazine via retention enema only. At 0, 2, and 4 weeks of the treatment, colonoscopy was performed to evaluate the disease activity, and biopsy samples were obtained at 0 and 4 weeks for histological examination.

RESULTSIn comparison with colon therapy group and control group, ozone therapy plus colon therapy resulted in more rapid alleviation of the clinical symptoms and better histological improvement without any adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONOzone therapy combined with sulfasalazine delivered via a colon therapy system is feasible and effective for treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Sulfasalazine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Adult ; Electrocoagulation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Radio Waves ; therapeutic use

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of no antibiotic administration to prevent infection during the perioperative period of percutaneous intradiscal ozone-injection for treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSSeventy-two patients with lumbar disc herniation but normal body temperature as well as normal results of three routine tests (blood, urine, stool) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level were randomly divided into two groups. The patients in prophylaxis group were given cephalothin V(2.0 g) intravenous 30 min before the operation, and the control group did not use any antibiotics. All the patients were injected with 6-10 ml ozone (40 microg/ml) for medical use into the discs with 21G needles under fluoroscopic guidance, followed by 10 ml ozone into the paravertebral space. Three days later the general examinations and CRP measurement were repeated.

RESULTSNo infection was found in these patients, nor were any significant differences noted in the results of the examinations between the two groups after controlling in patients with above-normal white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage and CRP level.

CONCLUSIONProphylaxis antibiotics is not necessary during the perioperative period of percutaneous intradiscal ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation.

Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cefazolin ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Perioperative Care ; Radiography