Electro-acupuncture For Sciatica Caused By Lumbar Disc Herniation:a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:To select the superior effect scheme of acupuncture in treating sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation, via randomized controlled clinical trials based on the objective evaluation of its clinical efficacy.Methods:This trial was conducted between April2011and February2012in4different hospitals with the same population coverage, including Sichuan Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Sichuan Province, The First People’s Hospital of Chengdu and Jianyang People’s Hospital.198patients with sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation which meet the diagnostic criteria were selected. Adopting centrally randomized control method, Chengdu Brightech-Magnosoft Data Services divided all the patients into three groups by RCT with66patients in each group:Electro-acupuncture Group (Group A, main Acupoints Ashi, Yaojiaji, Dachangyshu and Huantiao were taken together with supporting acupoints in line with the pattern identification theory of meridian differentiation or eight principle visceral differentiation of lumbar disc herniation), Electro-acupuncture with Traction Group (Group B, traction treatment was given in addition to the treatment of Group A), Electro-acupuncture together with Traction and Western Medicine Group (Group C, western medicine<Votalin and Vitamin B1> was given in addition to the treatment of Group B).Every patient with Electro-acupuncture or Traction treatments received5treatments weekly in succession for the first two weeks, with two days’ rest; every other day on weekly basis in total3treatments each for the third and forth week; and every third day on weekly basis in total2treatments each for the fifth and sixth week. Each single treatment lasted30minutes and60minutes of Electro-acupuncture combined with Traction. Voltalin and Vitamin B1were taken twice a day and five days in consecutive for the first two weeks, every other day during the3rd and4th week and every third day during the5th and6th week.50mg of Votalin and10mg of Vitamin B1were taken for each treatment. During the six-week-long treatment, the patients could choose to stop the treatment if they fully recovered or almost totally recovered. Time evaluation points were taken for Base Line and Week6. Evaluations were assessed on Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of their leg pains and waist pains, Modified Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Mos Item Short from Health Survery-36(SF-36), as well as the7-point Likert Scale before and after the treatment. Results:1. Baseline Analysis:(1) The compared baseline of Sociodemographic basic characteristics’indicators of all the patients were consistent with good comparability when they entered their groups respectively(P>0.05)(gender, age, marital status, ethnic, height, weight, weight index, smoke or not, job category, working time).(2) The compared baseline of clinical features’indicators of all the patients were consistent with good comparability when they entered their groups respectively(P>0.05)(different segments, direction, meridian differentiation, eight principle visceral differentiation of lumbar disc herniation).(3) The compared baseline of severity’s indicators of all the patients were consistent with good comparability when they entered their groups respectively (P>0.05)(visual analogue scale of leg pain, visual analogue scale of waist pain, modified Roland-Morris disability questionnaire, SF-36).2. Efficacy Evaluation:(1) Visual Analogue Scale of leg pain:significant difference exists that the VAS scores after treatment are obviously lower than that before the treatment (P<0.01), without statistics difference existing among the three groups(P>0.05).(2) Visual Analogue Scale of waist pain:significant difference exists that the VAS scores after treatment are obviously lower than that before the treatment (P<0.01), with statistics difference existing among the three groups(P<0.05).(3) Modified Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire:significant difference exists that the Roland scores after treatment are obviously lower than that before the treatment (P<0.01), without statistics difference existing among the three groups(P>0.05).(4) Mos item short from health survey-36(SF-36):in terms of PF, RP, BP, SF and RE, significant difference exists that the scores after treatment are obviously higher than that before the treatment (P<0.01); There exist significant differences in Group B (Electro-acupuncture with Traction) in terms of GH, VT and MH before and after the treatment(P<0.05); Obvious difference in RP was also observed among the three groups, and there is no other statistics difference existing among the three groups(P>0.05).(5) The7-point Likert Scale:there is no statistics difference existing among the three groups(P>0.05).3. Safety Assessment:There occurred2cases of adverse events only in Electro-acupuncture Group, both bleeding cases after electro-acupuncture treatment. There is no obvious difference of the incidence of adverse events among the three groups, which indicates that all the three therapeutic schemes are safe(P>0.05). Conclusions:1. Electro-acupuncture Therapy, Electro-acupuncture with Traction, and Electro-acupuncture together with Traction and Western Medicine Therapy are all safe and effective therapeutic schemes to treat sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation, waist and leg functioning, as well as PF, BP,GH,VT,SF,RE and MH of life quality.2. Electro-acupuncture with traction therapy is likely to achieve a better curative effect in easing sciatica waist pain caused by lumbar disc herniation and RP of life quality.