OBJECTIVETo observe the effect difference of warming needling combined with decoction and ciloprost for arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) with stasis.

METHODSA total of 96 ASO patients with stasis were randomly assigned into a combination group and a western medication group, 48 cases in each group. Anti-hypertension, glucose-lowering and lipid lowering therapies were applied in the two groups. Ciloprost was prescribed orally in the western medication group, twice a day, 100 mg a time. The main acupoints in the combination group were Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4), and Xuehai (SP 10), matched with Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Weizhong (BL 40). Warming needling was used at Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10) and Guanyuan (CV 4), 5 times a week, once a day, 20 min a time. At the same time, self-made decoction was applied in the combination group, 1 dose a day, twice a day. All the treatment was given for continuous 3 courses, 1 month as a course. The indexes were the symptom scores for cool limb skin, sour swelling, numbness, pain, abnormal complexion, ankle brachial index (ABI) and blood biochemical indexes, including fasting blood-glucose (FPG), triacylglycerol (TG), cholesterol total (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST), serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The adverse reactions were recorded. The clinical effect was evaluated. Two-month follow-up was carried out.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the symptom scores for cool limb skin, sour swelling, numbness, pain, abnormal complexion and total score decreased in the two groups (all <0.05), with better results in the combination group (all <0.05). The bilateral ABI were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05), with better results in the combination group (both <0.05). The FPG, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALT, AST, Scr, BUN before and after treatment had no statistical significance in the two groups (all >0.05). There was no adverse reaction on acupuncture and moxibustion. The total effective rate of the combination group was 95.8% (46/48), which was better than 91.7% (44/48) of the western medication group (<0.05). The recurrence and aggravation rate in the combination group was 8.7% (4/46), which was lower than 18.2% (8/44) in the western medication group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONWarming needling combined with decoction for ASO are better than simple oral ciloprost, with safety.