Humans ; Spondylarthritis/drug therapy* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/drug therapy* ; China

OBJECTIVETo search for an effective method for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODSThe treatment group (n = 32) were treated by acupuncture combined with cupping therapy and the control group (n = 30) by simple acupuncture for 40 days.

RESULTSThe clinical remission rate was 62.5% in the treatment group and 33.3% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01); the total effective rate in the treatment group was 93.8% which was better than 83.3% in the control group (P<0.01); the recurrence rate after one year was 3.3% in the treatment group and 24.0% in the control group with significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with cupping therapy in the therapeutic effect on ankylosing spondylitis is better than simple acupuncture, with shorter therapeutic course and lower recurrence rate.

OBJECTIVETo probe therapeutic effects of centro-square needling and triple needling on ankylosing spondylitis.

METHODSSixty cases of spondylitis were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group were treated with centro-square needling and triple needling, and the control group with routine acupuncture therapy, with motortherapy combined in the two groups.

RESULTSBoth the therapeutic methods were effective, but the therapeutic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with motortherapy has definite therapeutic effect on ankylosing spondylitis, with centro-square needling and triple needling having better therapeutic effect.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the interaction between pregnancy and ankylosing spondylitis, and the management of pregnancy with ankylosing spondylitis.

METHODSTwelve cases of pregnancy with ankylosing spondylitis in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2004 to July 2011 were analyzed retrospectively, focusing on the arteritis condition, pregnancy complications, and outcomes.

RESULTSAll the 12 patients had full-term pregnancy. Five cases gave birth naturally, and 7 cases received cesarean section for maternity factors. No adverse pregnancy outcomes were encountered. Waist pain appeared in 2 cases in the second trimester, for both of which medication failed. One of the 2 cases had natural childbirth, while the other maintained pregnancy smoothly to cesarean section.

CONCLUSIONSPregnancy monitoring can help obtain favorable pregnancy outcomes. Attention should be paid to postpartum change of the illness.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the indications and dominant diseases of the spreading moxibustion therapy. METHODS: By retrieving 7 databases of both Chinese and English version, such as CNKI, WANFANG, VIP and PubMed, the eligible articles of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treated with spreading moxibustion therapy were collected. The number of annual publications, the number of each disease system, the indications and dominant diseases involved in the related articles were analyzed statistically, as well as the number of cases and the corresponding clinical effective rates. RESULTS: A total of 182 articles were included, including 40 indications for the spreading moxibustion and covering 9 major disease systems. Specially, the indications in the motor system were maximal in number, accounting for 17.50% (7/40) of the total number of indications. The number of indications in the digestive system was on the second top, accounting for 15.00% (6/40). The dominant diseases were mainly distributed in motor system, respiratory system, nervous system and gynecological system. There were 3 dominant diseases in motor system, i.e. ankylosing spondylitis, back pain and rheumatoid arthritis; 1 dominant disease, i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the respiratory system, 1 dominant disease, i.e. primary dysmenorrheal in the gynecological system and 1 dominant disease, i.e. post-stroke paralysis in the nervous system. CONCLUSION At present, the indications of the spreading moxibustion therapy are widely distributed and the dominant diseases are concentrated, representatively by ankylosing spondylitis. But, the indications and the dominant diseases of spreading moxibustion are changeable dynamically and the disease spectrum of spreading moxibustion needs to be further explored.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; therapy

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; therapy ; Young Adult

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; Tripterygium

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between herb-separated moxibustion and conventional moxibustion on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) based on oral administration of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with AS of cold-dampness obstruction type were randomly divided into an herb-separated moxibustion group and a conventional moxibustion group, 32 cases in each one. Based on oral administration of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets, the patients in the conventional moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion at the area with Dazhui (GV 14) to Changqiang (GV 1) as center and about 10 cm in width; the moxibustion was given for 1 hour. In the herb-separated moxibustion group, the gauze was soaked in the medicinal liquor and ginger juice, and placed on the same moxibustion area as the conventional moxibustion group, followed by moxibustion for 1 hour. The treatment in the two groups was given once a week, three treatments constituted a course and totally three courses were given. The symptom quantification score, occipital-wall distance, Schober test, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels were observed before and after treatment in the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the symptom quantification score, occipital-wall distance, CRP and ESR levels were lower but the Schober test was higher after treatment in the two groups (all <0.05). The symptom quantification score, Schober test, CRP and ESR levels in the herb-separated moxibustion group were superior to those in the conventional moxibustion group (all <0.05), but no significant difference was observed on occipital-wall distance (>0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% (27/30) in the herb-separated moxibustion group, which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the conventional moxibustion group (<0.05). CONCLUSION The herb-separated moxibustion combined with sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets has significant efficacy for AS with cold-dampness obstruction type, which could obviously relieve pain symptoms, improve occipital-wall distance, Schober test and other physical signs, and improve the quality of life.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; therapy ; Sulfasalazine ; Tablets, Enteric-Coated ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects and mechanisms of the long-snake moxibustion on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) based on Th17/Treg/Th1 immune imbalance. METHODS: A total of 60 AS patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the observation group, the long-snake moxibustion therapy was used on the acupoints of the governor vessel from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) as well as the bilateral Jiaji (EX-B 2) alternatively. The moxibustion was given once a day, for 7 days continuously as one course. There were 3 days at the interval between the courses and 4 courses were required. In the control group, the routine western medication was provided, the salazosulfapyridine combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used, for 7 days continuous as one course. A total of 4 courses of medication were required. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-23 (IL-23) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The real-time quantification polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the mRNA expressions of the specific transcription factors, FoxP3 and T-bet of the helper 17 cells (Th17), regulatory T cells (Treg) and T helper 1 cells (Th1). The flow cytometry was applied to determine the rates of Treg, Th1 and Th17, as well as the changes of the inflammatory reaction index, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the observation group, which was better than 86.7% (26/30) in the control group (<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CRP, ESR, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 and TNF-α, as well as the rate of Th17 were reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment in the observation group (all <0.05). The mRNA expressions of FoxP3 and T-bet and the rates of Treg and Th1 were increased as compared with those before treatment (all <0.05). The change degree in the observation group was significant as compared with the control group (all <0.05). In the control group, the levels of CRP, ESR, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 and TNF-α, as well as the rate of Th17 were reduced, and the mRNA expressions of FoxP3 and T-bet and the rates of Treg and Th1 were increased after treatment. But the changes were not significant as compared with those before treatment (all >0.05). CONCLUSION The long-snake moxibustion effectively relieves the clinical symptoms in AS patients and regulates the Th17/Treg/Th1 immune imbalance. Its effect target is probably related to the modulation of the AS immune derangement and the inflammatory responses induced by immune derangement so as to achieve the dual-positive regulatory effect.
Animals ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Moxibustion ; Snakes ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; therapy ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th1 Cells ; Th17 Cells