Qing Zhang1, Yu Shao1*, Juan Huang1, Lijuan Li2
- Department of Endocrine Rheumatology, Zhangjiagang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215600, China.
- Department of Nursing, Zhangjiagang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215600, China.
- Corresponding Author: Yu Shao; E-mail: shaoyu_edu@outlook.com
Abstract
Objective
The current study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy of warm acupuncture in the management of wind-cold-dampness rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods
Eighty patients diagnosed with wind-cold-dampness RA and admitted to our hospital between January 2024 and December 2024 enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: a control group (methotrexate tablets) and a study group (warm acupuncture + methotrexate tablets). Comparative analyses were conducted between the two groups regarding the primary outcomes (clinical symptoms, levels of inflammatory factors, serum RF and ESR levels, and degree of pain) and secondary outcomes (TCM syndrome score, total incidence of adverse reactions and quality of life).
Results
Two months post-treatment, the study group demonstrated significant improvements relative to the control group, including a shorter duration of morning stiffness (P<0.01), a reduced number of painful and swollen joints (P<0.01), lower levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP (P<0.01), lower serum RF and ESR levels (P<0.01), lower VAS scores (P<0.01), lower TCM syndrome scores of joint deformity, joint functional impairment, pain and fear of cold (P<0.01), lower total incidence rate of adverse reactions (P<0.05) and higher WHOQOL-BREF scores of physiology, psychology, society and environment (P<0.01).
Conclusion
Warm acupuncture, when used as an adjunct therapy, effectively ameliorates symptoms, alleviates pain, mitigates inflammatory responses, enhances quality of life, and exhibits a high safety profile in the treatment of RA.
Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, warm acupuncture, pain, inflammation