Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on dystonia in brain-type Wilson’s disease(WD)with internal retention of damp heat pattern.Methods:A total of 60 patients with WD dystonia with internal retention of damp heat pattern were randomized into acupuncture and medication groups using a random number table,with 30 participants in each group.All patients had a low-copper diet and consumed dimercaptopropanesulfonate sodium(DMPS) for copper excretion.In the acupuncture group,on the base of the same treatment as that given to the medication group,acupuncture was applied at Baihui(百会GV20),Shenting(神庭GV24),Chéngjiāng(承浆CV4),Jiānyú(肩髃L15),Nàoshū(臑俞SI10),Wàiguān(外关TE5),Nèiguān(内关PC6),Shǒusānlǐ(手三里LI10),Hégǔ(合谷LI4),Yángxī(阳溪LI5),Huántiào(环跳GB30),Bìguān(髀关ST31),Yánglíngquán(阳陵泉GB34),Fēnglóng(丰隆ST40),Zúsānlǐ(足三里ST36),Sānyīnjiāo(三阴交SP6),Xuánzhōng(悬钟GB39),and Xíngjiān(行间LR2).Before and 24 days after treatment,the modified Ashworth scale(MAS) and BurkeFahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale(BFMDRS) were used to evaluate dystonia symptoms.The allocation scheme was concealed for the outcome assessors.Results:The data of 30 cases were analyzed in each group.Before treatment,the MAS score difference between the acupuncture and medication groups was not statistically significant(P> 0.05).Compared with the score before treatment,the MAS score was lower significantly in both the acupuncture group(2.63±0.76 vs 4.50 ± 0.78) and medication group(3.30 ± 0.65 vs 4.40 ± 0.77) after treatment(both P <0.05).After treatment,the MAS score in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the medication group(P <0.01).Before treatment,the BFMDRS score was not significantly different between the two groups(P> 0.05).Compared with the score before treatment,the BFMDRS score was significantly lower in both the acupuncture(64.97 ± 14.26 vs 85.23± 16.99) and medication groups(11.33 ± 2.60 vs 75.40 ± 16.
