[Walnut-shell moxibustion for dry eye symptoms: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of walnut-shell moxibusiton on dry eye symptoms.

Methods: A total of 67 patients with dry eye symptoms were randomized into a walnut moxibustion group and a sodium hyaluronate eye drops group.

Methods: In the walnut moxibustion group, the walnut moxibustion was used, once every two days, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks totally. In the sodium hyaluronate eye drops group, sodium hyaluronate eye drops were selected, 4 times a day, one drop instilled in each eye each time, for 4 weeks totally. At the baseline (before treatment) and in 4 weeks of treatment, the score of the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), the score of visual analogous scale (VAS) for eye symptoms, the tear film break-up time (BUT), the cornea fluorescent pigmentation (FL) and SchirmerⅠ(SchⅠ) were evaluated. In 1-month follow-up after treatment termination, the changes of OSDI and VAS scores were evaluated in the two groups.

Results: In 4 weeks of treatment and the follow-up, OSDI scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (<0.001, <0.05). In 4 weeks of treatment and the follow-up, the change values of OSDI were (-16.03±17.42) and (-13.47±21.41) as compared with those before treatment in the walnut moxibustion group; and were (-9.58±23.45) and (-13.90±20.92) in the sodium hyaluronate eye drops group separately. The differences were not significant between the two groups (all >0.05). In 4 weeks of treatment and the follow-up, VAS scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.001). In 4 weeks of treatment, BUT was increased as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (both <0.05), the results of FL and SchⅠ did not change significantly before and after treatment in the two groups (all >0.05). The differences were not significant in the above indexes between the two groups (all >0.05). There was no obvious adverse reaction in the two groups.

Conclusion: The walnut-shell moxibustion is available likely for the subjective symptoms in the patients with dry eye syndrome and contributes to the tear film stabilization. The therapeutic effects need to be further evaluated with the adequate sample size in the randomized controlled trial.