LAUSR

Objective To compare the efficacy of moxibustion with different doses for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and explore the correlation between moxibustion dose and clinical efficacy. Methods Sixty-eight patients with KOA who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a 20-minute moxibustion group and a 40-minute moxibustion group by the random number table method, with 34 cases in each group. Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4) and Heding (EX-LE 2) were used for moxibustion in the two groups. Each treatment lasted 20 min or 40 min for each point in the 20-minute moxibustion group and 40-minute moxibustion group, separately; the treatment was given 3 times a week and lasted for 4 weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores were evaluated before and after treatment to compare the efficacy between different moxibustion doses for KOA. Results After treatment, the total effective rate was 87.5% in the 40-minute moxibustion group, versus 70.0% in the 20-minute moxibustion group, and the difference in the total effective rate between the two groups was statistically significant ( P <0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores, the total WOMAC scores and the component scores of pain, stiffness and dysfunction, and the TCM symptom scores in both groups all changed significantly when compared with those before treatment (all P <0.05). After treatment, the between-group differences in the VAS score, the total WOMAC score and the component scores of pain and dysfunction, and the TCM symptom score were statistically significant (all P <0.05), while the difference in the stiffness score in WOMAC showed no statistical significance ( P> 0.05). Conclusion Either 20-minute moxibustion or 40-minute moxibustion can relieve pain, improve stiffness, dysfunction, and TCM symptoms for KOA; and 40-minute moxibustion is better in relieving pain, improving dysfunction and TCM symptoms. 目的 对比不同灸量艾灸治疗膝骨关节炎(KOA)的临床疗效, 探讨艾灸治疗膝骨关节炎时灸量与疗效的关系. 方法 将符合筛选标准的68例患者按照随机数字表法分为灸20 min组和灸40 min组, 每组34例。两组均选取犊鼻、内膝眼和鹤顶进行艾灸治疗。灸20 min组每次每穴灸20 min。灸40 min组每次每穴灸40 min。每周3次, 治疗4周。通过观察视觉模拟量表(VAS)、西安大略和麦克马斯特骨关节炎指数(WOMAC)和中医证候评分变化, 对比不同灸量艾灸治疗KOA的疗效差异. 结果 治疗后, 灸40 min组总有效率为87.5%, 灸20 min组为70.0%, 两组总有效率差异有统计学意义( P <0.05)。治疗后, 两组的VAS评分、WOMAC总分及疼痛、僵硬、日常活动困难情况单项评分, 以及中医证候评分均与同组治疗前有统计学差异(均 P <0.05)。治疗后, 疼痛VAS评分、WOMAC总分及疼痛、日常活动困难情况单项评分, 以及中医证候评分的组间差异均有统计学意义(均 P <0.05), 而WOMAC中的僵硬评分组间差异无统计学意义( P >0.05). 结论 艾灸20 min与艾灸40 min均可缓解KOA患者的疼痛, 改善僵硬和日常活动困难, 以及中医证候; 艾灸40 min在缓解疼痛, 改善日常活动困难和中医证候方面优于艾灸20 min.