Objective To observe and compare the clinical efficacy of fire needling versus electroacupuncture in treating knee osteoarthritis of kidney and marrow deficiency type.Methods One hundred and ten patients with knee osteoarthritis of kidney and marrow deficiency type were randomly allocated to two groups, a fire needling group of 56 cases and an electroacupuncture group of 54 cases. The fire needling group received filiform needle acupuncture and fire needle pricking and the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture. Treatment was given once every other day, for a total of four weeks as one course. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were recorded in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The VAS score and the WOMAC subscores significantly decreased in both groups after treatment compared with those before treatment (P<0.01). There were no statistically significant post-treatment differences in the VAS score and the WOMAC subscores between the two groups (P>0.05). The VAS score and the WOMAC subscores decreased further in both groups at four weeks after treatment compared with those at the end of treatment (P<0.01). In the electroacupuncture group, there were statistically significant differences in the VAS score and the WOMAC pain and stiffness subscores between eight weeks and four weeks after treatment (P<0.01) and in the WOMAC pain, stiffness and joint function subscores between at eight weeks after treatment and at the end of treatment (P<0.01). In the fire needling group, there were statistically significant differences in the VAS score and the WOMAC pain, stiffness and joint function subscores between at eight weeks after treatment and at the end of treatment (P<0.01). At four weeks after treatment, the VAS score and the WOMAC pain, stiffness and joint function subscores were significantly lower in the fire needling group than in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05,P<0.01). At eight weeks after treatment, the VAS score and the WOMAC pain and stiffness subscores were still significantly lower in the fire needling group than in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.01). The total efficacy rate was 94.6% in the fire needling group and 90.7% in the electroacupuncture group; there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).Conclusions Both filiform needle acupuncture plus fire needle pricking and electroacupuncture can markedly relieve the pain and stiffness and improve joint function in knee osteoarthritis of kidney and marrow deficiency type. Both have an equivalent short-term therapeutic effect. Filiform needle acupuncture plus fire needle pricking has a better long-term therapeutic effect than electroacupuncture.

OBJECTIVETo observe the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects on insomnia of spleen and stomach disharmony pattern in comparison of the combination of acupoint catgut-embedding therapy and auricular point pressure with the simple application of auricular point pressure.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty patients of insomnia of spleen and stomach disharmony pattern were randomized into an observation group (93 cases) and a control group (87 cases). In the observation group, the combination of acupoint catgut-embedding therapy and auricular point pressure was adopted. The acupoint catgut-embedding therapy was applied at Zhongwan (CV 12), Anmian (Extra), Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Weishu (BL 21), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), once every two weeks. The auricular point pressure was applied to Shenmen (TF), Pizhixia (AT), Xin (CO), Pi (CO), Wei (CO) on both sides alternatively, twice a week. The duration of treatment was 2 months for the two groups. In the control group, the auricular point pressure was simply used with the same points, manipulation and treatment duration as the observation group. After treatment, the clinical therapeutic effects were observed in the patients of the two groups. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score was compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The recurrence was followed up in 3 months after the end of treatment.

RESULTSIt was observed that 2 cases were dropped out in the observation group, 4 cases in the control group. The dropped out cases were considered to be ineffective. After treatment, the total effective rate was 92.5% (86/93) in the observation group and was 80.5% (70/87) in the control group. The result in the observation group was better than that in the control group (<0.05). After treatment, PSQI scores were all reduced apparently in the two groups as compared with those before treatment (both<0.05). The score after treatment and the different value before and after treatment in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (both<0.05). In 3-month follow-up after treatment, the recurrence rate was 3.2% (3/93) in the observation group, which was lower than 13.8% (12/87) in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn the treatment of insomnia of spleen and stomach disharmony pattern, the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy combined with auricular point pressure are superior to the simple application of auricular point pressure in the clinical therapeutic effects, improving sleep quality and reducing the recurrence rate.