Effect of electroacupuncture on joint function of rheumatoid arthritis patients with liver-kidney Yin deficiency

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture combined with oral Zeling joint swelling decompression mixture in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of the liver-kidney yin deficiency type. METHODS: 126 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis of the liver-kidney yin deficiency type were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, with 63 patients in each group. The control group received oral methotrexate and leflunomide tablets, while the treatment group received electroacupuncture combined with oral Zeling joint swelling decompression mixture in addition to the control group's treatment. Changes in the Disease Activity Index 28 joints (DAS28) before and after treatment were observed in the two groups. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome efficacy were compared between the two groups after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate of the ACR was 87.3% in the treatment group and 65.1% in the control group. The difference in ACR efficacy between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The total effective rate of TCM syndrome efficacy was 87.3% in the treatment group and 73.0% in the control group. The difference in TCM syndrome efficacy between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The difference in DAS28 after treatment between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine is an effective method for treating rheumatoid arthritis of liver-kidney yin deficiency type, and can significantly improve patients' ACR20 and clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.