[Acupuncture combined with cinesiotherapy cupping for knee osteoarthritis with stagnation and blood stasis syndrome: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy between acupuncture combined with cinesiotherapy cupping and acupuncture combined with conventional cupping for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, and to seek a better solution for KOA.

Methods: A total of 78 patients of KOA with stagnation and blood stasis syndrome were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 39 cases in each group (3 cases in the observation group and 2 cases in the control group lost contact). Both groups were treated with acupuncture at Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35), Xuehai (SP 10), Liangqiu (ST 34), Heding (EX-LE 2), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Xuanzhong (GB 39). Based on the acupuncture treatment, the control group was treated with conventional cupping. The No. 4 cupping glass was used for Xuehai (SP 10), Liangqiu (ST 34) and Fengshi (GB 31), while the No. 3 cupping glass was used for Yinlingquan (SP 9), while the cupping with appropriate size was used for points; the cupping glass was retained for 5 min. Based on the acupuncture treatment, the observation group was treated with cinesiotherapy cupping. The selection of acupoint and cupping glass was identical as the control group. The patients were instructed to perform knee flexion-extension, hip abduction-adduction, weight-bearing and other active exercise while cupping; the treatment was given once a day, 10 times as a course of treatment; totally three courses were given with an interval of 2 days between the courses. The patient's symptom scores, pain scores and knee function scores were recorded before and after treatment. The amount of joint effusion was measured by ultrasound; the level of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in joint effusion were measured by ELISA.

Results: After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was 94.4% (34/36), which was significantly higher than 86.5% (32/37) in the control group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the symptom scores, pain scores, amount of joint effusion and the levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α in joint fluid in both groups all were decreased after treatment, whereas the knee function scores were increased (<0.05). Compared with the control group, the symptom scores, pain scores, and the levels of IL-1, TNF-α and the amount of joint effusion all were significantly decreased, whereas the knee function scores were increased in the observation group (<0.05). The level of IL-6 in joint effusion was not significantly different between the observation group and the control group (>0.05).

Conclusion: The acupuncture combined with cinesiotherapy cupping could alleviate pain, improve joint function and reduce joint effusion, which is superior to acupuncture combined with conventional cupping.