Curative effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion on chronic persistent asthma: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effects of heat-sensitive moxibustion with conventional drugs on chronic persistent asthma and seek a valuable therapy to replace Western Medicine. METHODS: The participants in this multi-center, randomized, and controlled study were randomly divided into two groups: group A (n=144), treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion (50 sessions) and group B (n=144), treated with Seretide (salmeterol 50 plg/fluticasone 250 pg, twice a day). The scores of asthma control test (ACT), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and attack frequency were measured after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. Patients followed up 3 and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant difference (P= 0.0002) in the ACT score and lung function between the two groups after 3 months of treatment and (P=0.000 03) during the follow-up visits. In addition, heat-sensitive moxibustion reduced attack frequency in the period from inclusion to the 6-month follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: This study shows that heat-sensitive moxibustion may have a comparable curative effect to Seretide (salmetero/fluticasone) on asthma.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on simple obesity of different syndrome types].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on simple obesity of different syndrome types, so as to understand the syndrome type most suitable to this therapy. METHODS: Using prospective and double blind method one hundred and thirty-seven cases were divided into a group of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency (n=30), a stomach heat-dampness stagnation group (n=30), a group of stagnation of liver qi (n=27), a group of deficiency of both spleen and kidney (n=26) and a group of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency (n=24). They were treated with catgut implantation at main acupoints Liangmen (ST 21), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Fenglong (ST 40) and adjuvant points selected according to different syndromes, once each week, 4 weeks constituting one course, for 2 courses. Changes of body weight, body mass index (BMI), circumferences of chest, waist and hip, and symptoms and signs before and after treatment were observed. RESULTS: After treatment, the body weight, BMI, circumferences of waist and hip in the 5 groups had significant changes; the total effective rates in the group of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency, the stomach heat-dampness stagnation group, the group of stagnation of liver qi, the group of deficiency of both spleen and kidney deficiency, the group of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency were 83.3%, 93.3%, 48.2%, 69.2% and 41.70%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoints is the best for simple obesity of the stomach heat-dampness stagnation type and the worst for the type of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency.