Objective:To observe the differences of clinical effect and influence on joint function and inflammatory markers in joint fluid between stuck-needle technique and regular acupuncture in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Methods:Seventy-two patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into a stuck-needle technique group and a regular acupuncture group,with 36 cases in each one.The selection of acupoints,retaining time of needles,and treatment course were all the same in both groups.The visual analog scale(VAS)score,Lequesne index score,and the content of related inflammatory indexes in joint fluid before and after treatment were observed,and the therapeutic effect were evaluated.Results:After treatment,the VAS scores,Lequesne index scores,interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β),and the tumor necrosis factor a(TNF-α)of the two groups were all lower than those before treatment(all P<0.05).After treatment,the VAS scores,Lequesne index scores,IL-1β,and TNF-αof the stuck-needle technique group were all lower than those of the regular acupuncture group(all P<0.05).The total effective rate of the stuck-needle technique group was 96.97%(32/33),higher than 93.75%(30/32)of the regular acupuncture group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Stuck-needle technique can effectively relieve the pain and improve the joint functions,being more effective than regular acupuncture for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
