Clinical Research On Treating Primary Obesity With Combination Of Catgut Implantation At Acupoint And Chinese Native Medicine Treatment

Objective: This research observes the effects upon treating primary obesity with combination of catgut implantation at acupoint and Chinese native medicine treatment. This catgut implantation at acupoint not only possesses the effects that ordinary acupuncture technique had, it also prolongs the duration of the acupuncture effect. This technique is integration between acupuncture and Chinese medication and follows the process of diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. This is the first study to combine the catgut implantation at acupoint and traditional Chinese medication. We also use the process of diagnosis and treatment of Chinese medicine to decide the acupuncture point and the remedy for each individual patient. We hope this new technique would provide another precise, simple, convincement, and inexpensive treatment for the primary obesity.Method: We select our patient according to the medical diagnosis and treatment standard for primary obesity which was set up at third session of obesity research academic conference. We then divided the patients into two groups according to patient's will. The first group is medicated-thread-burying acupuncture technique combined with Chinese medication; and the second one is pure Chinese medication. In the group with pure Chinese medication, the patients received six times concentrated scientific Chinese medicine capsule three times a day (before each meal), three capsules a time (0.5g for each capsule), and total 14 weeks for each cycle. In the group of acupuncture combined Chinese medicine, the patients also received the same medication with the same dosage and durations. They also received acupuncture at the same time. There is primary acupuncture point (chosen according to the disease type) and the secondary acupuncture point (chosen according to the symptoms). We choose 7～10 unilateral acupuncture points to perform catgut implantation at acupoint according to disease character and change the left and right points in turns every two weeks for seven cycles. We then observed and recorded the changes in targeted values before and after the treatment. The procedure: Make patient lay face downward and expose the puncture points. We then mark the puncture points with gentian violet. After strictly disinfect the puncture points, we put the 2 cm medicated-catgut in the disposable puncture needle tip and aim at the puncture point. After the patient is ready, we puncture the skin very quickly and push the needle core while slowly pulling out the needle tube. This method would leave the catgut inside the acupuncture point. After the puncture needles removed, we use sterile cotton ball to perform local compression which was fixed by water-proof medical tapes to prevent further bleeding and infection. We total collect 173 patients who are suffered from primary obesity. 96 patients were in the acupuncture combined Chinese medicine group and the other 77 patients were in the pure Chinese medicine group. We then analyze statistically all the target values. Therapeutic standard was referred to standard of effective evaluation in treating obesity which was set up at the second session of cooperation of Chinese and Western medicine obesity academic conference.Result: We use T-test and chi-square test to compare the baseline differences between two groups. There is no obvious differences found in patients age, sex, disease course, and obesity degree (P>0. 05). The total effectiveness rate in acupuncture combined Chinese medicine group is 85.54%. It was 77.92% in the pure medication group. There is difference in the number distribution between significantly effective and effective cases (P<0. 05). In the catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication the total effective case numbers are mainly in the category of significantly effective. But the total effective case numbers in pure Chinese medicine are distributed in significantly effective and effective categories both. The numbers of significantly effective case in catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication group is more than the pure Chinese medicine group. There is significant decrease in body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, internal organ fat ratio in each group (P<0. 05). Comparing the post-treatment changing value in body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, and internal organ fat ratio in two groups, The catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication group is better than the pure Chinese medicine group(P >0. 05).Compare the chest, waist, and buttock width before and after treatment, we found there is difference between theses two groups in chest and waist width(P<0. 05). There is significant difference in the buttock width (P<0. 05). Comparing the post-treatment changing value in chest, waist, and buttock width in two groups, The catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication group is better than the pure Chinese medicine group(P>0. 05).We also found there is significant difference in the target values of TG,TC,HDL-cho,LDL-cho,Leptin before and after treatment (P<0. 05). Comparing the post-treatment changing value inTG,TC,HDL-cho,LDL-cho,Leptin in two groups, TG (P<0.05),LDL-cho Leptin,TC (P>0.05),HDL-cho (P<0.05) all showed better effect in catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication group.The catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication and pure Chinese medication both seem to be effective in treating obesity. But the catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication if far more fast and effective than pure. Chinese medicine. The clinical study showed obviously decrease in severity of obesity and body mass index. The average body weight lost Is 5.395 kg, which is significantly effective.Comparing the changed values in severity of obesity and body mass index, there is also significant difference. However, catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication is far better than pure Chinese medicine group. The average weight lost in catgut implantation at acupoint combined with Chinese medication is 5.8kg, which if significantly effective. But the average weight lost in pure Chinese medicine is only 5.1 kg. But it is significantly effective also.Conclusion: The catgut implantation at acupoint for treating the obesity is effective and beneficial. It not only decreases the fat accumulation but also enhances the metabolism and increase the fat catabolism.Catgut implantation at acupoint is as effective as the ordinary acupuncture. But the puncture frequency and needle number for each treatment obviously to be short to the ordinary acupuncture treatment. It's more acceptable to patients. The proportion of completing the treatment course also enhanced. It is simple, convenient, inexpensive, and lees side effects. Currently, facing the rapidly increases obese population, combined Chinese medication could not only lose weight but also improve the health condition. It would be a good treatment in our clinical practice and worth further promotion.