[Effects of thunder-fire moxibustion on balance function and musculoskeletal metabolism in female patients of primary osteoporosis with low muscle mass].

Objective: To observe the effects of thunder-fire moxibustion on the balance function and musculoskeletal metabolism in female patients of primary osteoporosis (POP) with low muscle mass.

Methods: Sixty female patients of POP with low muscle mass were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 5 cases dropped out) and a control group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped out). The patients in the control group were treated with oral administration of Caltrate D (1.5 g calcium carbonate + 125 IU vitamin D3), one tablet per day for 12 weeks. In addition to the control treatment, the patients in the observation group were treated with thunder-fire moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), bilateral Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), and Dachangshu (BL 25), 30 min per acupoint, once every other day, three times a week, for 12 weeks. Balance function indexes (95% confidence ellipse area of the center of pressure [COP], total displacement, average speed), lumbar pain visual analogue scale (VAS), serum muscle metabolism factors (myostatin [MSTN], peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α [PGC-1α]) and bone metabolism factors (aminoterminal propeptide typeⅠ procollagen [PINP], C-terminal telopeptide of typeⅠcollagen [CTX-Ⅰ]) were compared before and after treatment in both groups.

Results: Compared before treatment, the 95% confidence ellipse area of COP, total displacement, and average speed in the observation group were decreased after treatment (<0.01), and the above indexes in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the VAS scores in both groups were decreased after treatment (<0.01), the score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (<0.01). Compared before treatment, the serum levels of MSTN, PINP and CTX-Ⅰ in the observation group were reduced after treatment (<0.01), while the serum level of PGC-1α was increased (<0.01). The control group showed a decrease in serum level of MSTN (<0.05). The observation group had lower serum levels of MSTN and PINP (<0.05) and higher serum level of PGC-1α (<0.01) compared to the control group.

Conclusion: The thunder-fire moxibustion can effectively relieve lumbar pain, improve balance function, and regulate musculoskeletal metabolism in female patients of POP with low muscle mass.