Effect of acupuncture-moxibustion on idiopathic facial palsy at acute phase in the real world: a cohort study.
10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240826-k0001
- Author:
Linyan HU
1
;
Jianhua SUN
1
;
Lixia PEI
1
;
Lu CHEN
1
Author Information
1. Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of TCM, Nanjing 210029, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
acupuncture-moxibustion;
idiopathic facial nerve palsy, acute phase;
opportunity of intervention;
propensity score matching;
real-world study
- MeSH:
Humans;
Female;
Male;
Acupuncture Therapy;
Moxibustion;
Adult;
Middle Aged;
Young Adult;
Acupuncture Points;
Treatment Outcome;
Facial Paralysis/therapy*;
Cohort Studies;
Aged;
Bell Palsy/therapy*;
Adolescent
- From:
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion
2025;45(2):133-138
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE:To compare the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion on idiopathic facial palsy (IFP) at acute phase and recovery phase.
METHODS:According to whether received acupuncture-moxibustion at acute phase or not, 198 IFP patients were divided into an early-phase intervention group (118 cases) and a non-early-phase intervention group (80 cases). With the propensity score matching employed, 70 cases were included in each group. On the basis of the conventional treatment of western medicine, acupuncture-moxibustion was supplemented in the two groups. In the early-phase intervention group, acupuncture-moxibustion was delivered at the acute phase (duration of illness≤7 days); in the non-early-phase intervention group, acupuncture-moxibustion was operated at the recovery phase (duration of illness>7 days). At the acute phase, warm needling was performed at Yifeng (TE17), Xiaguan (ST7), Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli (ST36) on the affected side; and at the recovery phase, electroacupuncture was delivered at Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (TE23) and Yangbai (GB14), etc. on the affected side, with the disperse-dense wave and 2 Hz/100 Hz of frequency. The intervention was operated for 30 min each time, once every two days, three treatments weekly and for 4 weeks. Before treatment, 1 week and 4 weeks of treatment, the House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grade, the score of Sunnybrook facial nerve function, and the score of facial disability index (FDI) were compared between the two groups. The clinical effect in 1 and 4 weeks of treatment and safety were evaluated.
RESULTS:In 1 and 4 weeks of treatment, the H-B grade was improved when compared with that before treatment in each group (P<0.05), and in 4 weeks of treatment, H-B grade in the early-phase intervention group was superior to that of the non-early-phase intervention group (P<0.05). In 1 and 4 weeks of treatment, Sunnybrook scores and the scores of physical function of FDI were elevated in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05); and in 4 weeks of treatment, the elevation of these two indexes in the early-phase intervention group was greater than that of the non-early-phase intervention group (P<0.05). In 4 weeks of treatment, the scores of social function in FDI were reduced when compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05). In 4 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate (97.1%, 68/70) in the early-phase intervention group was higher than that (87.1%, 61/70) of the non-early-phase intervention group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION:Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy starting at the acute phase is more beneficial to the functional recovery of the impaired facial nerve than at the recovery phase in the IFP patients.
