[Comparison of therapeutic effects of acupoints selected along different meridians on restless legs syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of different acupoints selected on restless legs syndrome. METHODS: Eighty-one cases were randomly divided into a treatment group (n=41) treated by acupoint selection method according to nerve anatomy and combination of positive findings with neurobiological theory, and a control group (n=40) treated by traditional acupoint selection method. RESULTS: The effective rate and the markedly effective rate were 97.6% and 90.3% in the treatment group, and 75.0% and 60.0% in the control group with significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01), and there was a significant difference between the two groups in the needed treatment times for the cured cases (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The acupoint selection method according to nerve anatomy, positive findings and neurobiological theory has a better therapeutic effect on restless legs syndrome as compared with the traditional method.