Light and heat of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis：a multi-center randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of light and heat of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA).@*METHODS@#A total of 216 patients with KOA were randomized into a traditional moxibustion group (72 cases, 8 cases dropped off), a moxibustion light group (72 cases, 9 cases dropped off) and a moxibustion heat group (72 cases, 10 cases dropped off).The special light-heat separation moxibustion cup was applied, the patients in the traditional moxibustion group received the treatment of moxibustion, the patients in the moxibustion light group received the treatment of moxibustion light and the patients in the moxibustion heat group received the treatment of moxibustion heat. The acupoint selection of the three groups was Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35) and Zusanli (ST 36), the treatment was given 20 min each time, 3 times a week, 4 weeks were required totally, and the follow-up surveys were made 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The scores of Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were observed before treatment, after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to the criterion of patient global assessment (PGA) after 4 weeks of treatment and 8 weeks after treatment.@*RESULTS@#Compared with before treatment, the pain scores, stiffness scores, physical function scores and total scores of WOMAC were reduced after 2, 4 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks after treatment in the three groups (<0.05). The pain scores, stiffness scores, physical function scores and total scores of WOMAC were reduced 8 weeks after treatment in the traditional moxibustion group and the moxibustion heat group (<0.05). The stiffness score, physical function score and total score of WOMAC were reduced 8 weeks after treatment in the moxibustion light group (<0.05). The pain score, physical function score and total score of WOMAC in the traditional moxibustion group after 4 weeks of treatment were lower than the moxibustion light group (<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the VAS scores were reduced after 2, 4 weeks of treatment and 4 , 8 weeks after treatment in the three groups (<0.05). The improvement rates in the traditional moxibustion group and the moxibustion heat group after 4 weeks of treatment and 8 weeks after treatment were superior to the moxibustion light group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The light and heat of moxibustion have therapeutic effect for KOA, and the therapeutic effect of moxibustion heat is superior to moxibustion light.

Establishment and verification of preeclampsia risk assessment model / 中华疾病控制杂志

Objective To analyze the risk factors affecting pre-eclampsia, to establish a pre-eclampsia risk assessment model, and to assess the risk of pre-eclampsia early. Methods A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted for all women who gave birth in the Department of Obstetrics, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from March 2012 to September 2016. A total of 10 319 qualified questionnaires were collected to exclude 9 623 cases of other hypertensive diseases related to pregnancy. A total of 70% of the subjects were randomly selected as training samples to analyze the influencing factors of pre-eclampsia, and a Logistic regression model was established. The remaining 30% of the objects are used as test samples to verify the effect of the model. Results Logistic regression model was established with training samples. Logit P=-2.517-0.696×Pre-pregnancy lean +0.200 ×Pre-pregnancy overweight +0.944×Pre-pregnancy obesity -1.995×Residential in city -0.409×Folic acid supplemented before pregnancy +1.323×Twin and multiple pregnancy +1.708× History of previous pregnancy hypertension. Homer-Lemeshow test P=0.377. Model AUC=0.767 (95%CI:0.747-0.786, P<0.001). Using the test sample to verify the model, the model sensitivity was 81.68%, the specificity was 75.05%, the positive likelihood ratio was 3.27, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.24. The test sample model AUC = 0.771 (95%CI=0.763-0.790,P<0.001). Conclusion This study establishes a simple and effective pre-eclampsia risk assessment model with controllable factors. The model has good fit and sensitivity and specificity.

A(1)H NMR-based metabonomic study on the SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice and the effect of electro-acupuncture.

A (1)H NMR-based metabonomic method was used to investigate the metabolic change of plasma in senescence-prone 8 (SAMP8) mice before and after electro-acupuncture (EA). Sixteen SAMP8 male mice (aged 8 months) were randomly divided into model group and acupuncture treatment group while the later group received EA treatment for 21 days. Eight senescence-resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice were used as the control group. Morris water maze was used to evaluate the effects of EA. All mice plasma samples obtained from different groups were analyzed by using 600 MHz (1)H nuclear magnetic resonances ((1)H NMR) spectroscopy. The data sets were analyzed by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) to discriminate the key plasma metabolites among different groups. Results indicated that both the escape and probe tasks of SAMP8 could be improved by EA treatment. Metabonomic study showed that SAMR1 and SAMP8 were separated clearly in both CPMG_OSC_PLS and LED _OSC_PLS score plots. Interestingly, samples obtained from EA group were distributed closely to SAMR1 group in CPMG_OSC_PLS score plot, but away from SAMP8 group in LED_OSC_PLS score plot. Corresponding loading plots showed that much less lactate was seen in SAMP8 mice plasma. Other changes including higher levels of dimethylamine (DMA) Choline and α-glucose but lower levels of leucine/isoleucine, HDL, LDL/VLDL, 3-Hydroxybutyrate (3-HB), and Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) were observed in the SAMP8 mice plasma than in the SAMR1. After EA treatment, the levels of lactate, DMA, choline and TMAO were improved. Results of this work can provide valuable clues to the understanding of the metabolic changes in the senile impairment of mice. It is also hoped that the methodology can be used in evaluating the effects of EA and understanding the underlying acupuncture mechanism in treating neurodegenerative diseases.