Separated Mild Moxibustion Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Observation

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with unclear causes, characterized by chronic, symmetrical, polysynovitis and non-joint pathological changes such as hypodermic nodus, pericarditis, pleuritis, pneumonia, periphcroneuritis etc. Currently there's no drug that be effective without toxicity or side-effect, and cheap for the masses. The disease belongs to the "Bi" category in TCM science. Ancient doctor cognized it as "all because the body is weak and the skin is loose, allowing the evil wind, cold and damp congregating as the 'Bi'".《Chinese Herbal Materia Medica 》 carrys: "artemisia leaf can cure 100 diseases", the leaf has abilities as Promoting the flow of Qi and clearning away cold; Recuperating,depleted Yang; Dredging the meridians and collaterals; Removing blood stasis due to BI syndrome or accumutaion by proming blood circulation; Clearing away heat pathogen and toxic etc. Moxibustion is an old-line distinctive treatment of assured curative effect. This project roots from the theory of "offend evil keep just" in 《Emperor Huang inside through 》 An indirect mild-moxibustion is adopt together with MTX orally taken. Both clinical curative effect and ill effects were observed. The project intends to provide a new idea and a safe effective method for RA. Method 62 patients were randomly divided into treatment group of 31 cases and control group of 31 as well. Each group had one case lost by the end of the observation. All cases came from out-patients and in patients in Acupuncture Department of Wuhan Hospital of TCM from January in 2004 to January in 2005. The treatment group used indirect mild-moxibustion on point Guanyuan and point Zusanli together with oral MTX and NSAIDs. The control group took MTX and NSAIDs. The joint ache degree, joint presses painful index number, joint to swell index number, equally hold dint, morning refuse to budge continuous time, HAQ index number of time, time of 15 Ms on foot and laboratory indexes (ESR, CRP, RF) etc. were observed. Clinical curative effect and ill effects were evaluated between the two groups.Result Callbacks were done on three months and two months after treatment separately. Both groups have significant differences ( P<0.05, or P<0.01, or P<0.001 ) in symptom indexes and laboratory indexes before and after the treatment. There were significant differences(P<0.05, or P<0.01)between two groups after the treatment, indicating the treatment group is superior to the control group in the total efficacy rate, ACR50% efficacy rate and the withdrawal of NSAIDs. There also were significant differences(P<0.01)between two groups in cases of ill effects, and there were much less cases in the control group.