| ObjectiveIn this paper, a randomized control trial was conducted which aims to evaluate the influence of acupuncture on quality of life (QOL) of patients with cervical spondylosis so that the efficacy of acupuncture to cervical spondylosis can be proved.MethodThe study used a randomized, single-blinded, two-arm sham-controlled design. Totally 106 eligible cases were included and assigned to the intervention group and controlled group separately by a simple randomization method, thus there were respectively 53 cases in each arm. The patients of the intervention group received standard acupuncture treatment at DU14, SI15 (both sides) and Ex-HN15 (both sides). The patients of the controlled group received sham acupuncture with the sham points which are 1 cm laterally from the standard points. A single treatment lasted for 20 minutes in both arms, and the infrared therapy was applied as supplement to enhance effectiveness on both arms. The patients in both groups received 9 treatments during a 3-week period as a complete treating course. The evaluating tools included the Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire (NPQ), the MOF SF-36 questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity. The patients'QOL were assessed by the above tools immediately before and after their treating course. The collected data were inputted to a database set up by SPSS13.0 and analyzed with methods including descriptive analysis, paired-sample t test and independent t test, covariance analysis and stratified analysis.ResultThe constituent ratios of gender and disease course were found different with statistical significance between the groups (P<0.05). Concerning TCM syndrome distribution, both groups were dominated by excess syndrome (more than 80%). The major syndromes found in the intervention group were the wind, cold and dampness stagnation syndrome and the qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome compared with the majority of qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome in the controlled group. Other baseline data were equivalent between the two groups (P>0.05). The patients'QOL was also comparable (P<0.05) except discrepancy was found in the GH domain of SF-36 (P=0.00). After the treating course, the patients'QOL in both groups was significantly improved, especially in VAS, NPQ and the RP, BP, GH, VT, SF domains of SF-36 in the intervention group, and in VAS, NPQ and the BP, RE domains of SF-36 in the controlled group. All the changes had statistical significance (P<0.05) except the PF, RF, GH, SF and MH domains of SF-36 in the controlled group (P>0.05). The covariance analysis showed that the GH score before treatment would affected the GH score after treatment as a covariance with statistical significance (P=0.00). In the comparison of the two groups patients'QOL after treatment, differences were found in NPQ and the RP, BP, VT, SF, RE and MH domains of SF-36 with statistical significance (P<0.05). The average NPQ score in controlled group was 1.24 times than that in the intervention group with clinical significance. The stratified analysis found that different length of disease courses might bring different influence on patient's QOL, in which the shorter of disease course would impact more on patient's mental health, while the longer disease course would impact more on patient's social function. Gender was another major factor that affects patient's QOL, in which male patients inclined to lose more QOL due to pain and functional disability, while female patients were likely to lose more QOL due to mental and emotional disability.ConclusionAcupuncture has irrefutable clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis featured by chronic neck pain. The acupuncture treatment can not only relieve the physical pain, but also can improve the overall QOL of the patients. QOL is a comprehensive evaluating matrix for people's physical and mental health, which is in accordance with the TCM health concept emphasizing the harmony of human and nature. Since QOL can objectively reflect the comprehensive effectiveness of acupuncture, it is an ideal yardstick for the measurement of acupuncture's efficacy to cervical spondylosis.
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