Clinical Study On Catgut Implantation At Acupoint Therapy For Idiopathic Facial Palsy During Recovery Phase

Objective: To observe clinical efficacy of catgut implantation at acupoint on idiopathic facial palsy during recovery phase and its differences between patients with different courses of disease by comparing effects between catgut implantation at acupoint and conventional needling on cores of H-B rating scale and symptom and sign scale as well as improvements of clinical symptoms prior and after treatment.Methods: 209 patients who met inclusion criteria were divided into three layers with course of disease according to clinic visiting sequences,The three layers are respectively 16~10 days, 31~60 days and 61~90 days. Patients within various courses of disease were randomized into conventional needling group and catgut implantation at acupoint group as per random numbers. Patients in the conventional group received needling once daily and retaining the needle for 30 minutes each time for 6 days on treatment and 1 day off treatment, with 14 days being 1 course and 3 courses in total for treatment. Patients in the catgut implantation at acupoint group received treatment once weekly, with 14 days being 1 course and 3 courses in total for treatment. Scores of H-B rating scale and symptom and sign scale as well as improvements on clinical symptoms prior treatment and after 3 courses were collected for efficacy assessment.Results:1 Clinical efficacy:①In all of the patients between two groups comparison of post-therapeutic clinical efficacy showed, overall response rate in catgut implantation at acupoint group was 88.57% and 84.61% in conventional needling group, indicating significant difference between efficacy of two groups(P<0.05). It indicated that overall efficacy in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to conventional needling group.②In patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days between two groups, comparison of post-therapeutic clinical efficacy showed overall response rate in catgut implantation at acupoint group was 97.67%, 93.02% and 90.91%, 84.85% in conventional needling group, indicating significant difference between efficacy of two groups(P<0.05). It indicated that efficacy in patients with course of disease of 16~60 days in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to conventional needling group.③In patients with course of disease of 61~90 days between two groups, comparison of post-therapeutic clinical efficacy showed overall response rate in catgut implantation at acupoint group was 72.41% and 71.43% in conventional needling group, indicating no significant difference of efficacy between two groups(P>0.05). It indicated that efficacy in catgut implantation at acupoint group was comparable to conventional needling group.④Comparison of post-therapeutic clinical efficacy within catgut implantation at acupoint groups in patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 61~90 days and in patients with course of disease of 31~60 days and 61~90 days showed significant difference between efficacy of two groups(P<0.05), while no statistical significance on the difference of efficacy between patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days(P>0.05). It indicated that efficacy in patients with course of disease of 16~60 days was superior to that in patients with course of disease of 61~90 days.2. H-B rating scale①Comparisons of all of the patients between two groups for post-therapeutic H-B rating scale showed significant differences(P<0.05),indicating the result in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to that in conventional needling group.②Comparisons of the patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days between two groups regarding post-therapeutic H-B rating scale showed significant differences(P<0.05), indicating the result in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to that in conventional needling group.③Comparisons of the patients with course of disease of 61~90 days between two groups regarding pre- and post-therapeutic H-B rating scale showed no significant differences(P>0.05), indicating improvements on H-B rating scale in catgut implantation at acupoint group was comparable to that in conventional needling group.④Comparison of post-therapeutic H-B rating scale of catgut implantation at acupoint group in patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 61~90 days and in patients with course of disease of 31~60 days and 61~90 days showed significant difference between efficacy of two groups(P<0.05), while no statistical significance on the difference of H-B rating between patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days(P>0.05). It indicated catgut implantation at acupoint regarding improvements on H-B rating scale in patients with course of disease of 16~60 days was superior to that in patients with course of disease of 61~90 days.3. Scores of symptoms and signs scale:①Comparisons of all of the patients between two groups for post-therapeutic symptom and sign scores showed significant differences(P<0.05), indicating the score result in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to that in conventional needling group.②Comparisons of the patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days between two groups regarding post-therapeutic symptom and sign scores showed significant differences(P<0.05), indicating the score result in catgut implantation at acupoint group was superior to that in conventional needling group.③Comparisons of the patients with course of disease of 61~90 days between two groups regarding post-therapeutic symptom and sign scores showed no significant differences(P>0.05), indicating improvements on symptom and sign scores in catgut implantation at acupoint group was comparable to that in conventional needling group.④Comparisons of post-therapeutic symptom and sign scores within catgut implantation at acupoint group in patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 61~90 days and in patients with course of disease of 31~60 days and61~90 days showed significant difference between efficacy of two groups(P<0.05), while no statistical significance on the difference of efficacy between patients with course of disease of 16~30 days and 31~60 days(P>0.05). It indicated that catgut implantation at acupoint regarding the improvements on symptom and sign scores in patients with course of disease of 16~60 days was superior to that in patients with course of disease of 61~90 days. Conclusion: ①Catgut implantation at acupoint therapy achieved significantly superior efficacy compared to conventional needling method and effectively improved symptoms of idiopathic facial palsy during recovery phase. ②Clinical efficacy of catgut implantation at acupoint on idiopathic facial palsy during recovery phase in patients with course of disease of 16~60 days was superior to that in patients with course of disease of 61~90days.