Clinical Research On Root-Tip Points Combination Acupuncture For The Treatment Of Menopausal Syndrome

ObjectiveTo observe clinical efficacy and safety of "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy and menopausal hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of menopause syndrome,and to explore the clinical advantages of the two therapies,in order to provide the basis for further optimization of acupuncture prescription for treatment of menopausal syndrome.MethodsIt was a randomized,single blind control trial,68 patients with menopausal syndrome who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into acupuncture group and hormone treatment group,34 cases in each group.Patients in the acupuncture group,based on health education,were treated by "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy on the acupoints: Zusanli,Guanyuan,San yinjiao,Taichong,Baihui,Shenmen,Zigong,3 times a week,4 weeks as a course of the treatment,a total of two courses of treatment.Hormone therapy group,on the basis of health education,was treated by the use of oral hormone replacement therapy,that was oral Climen tablets,1 tablets a day.After 21 days of continuous medication,the drug was stopped for 7days,and then start the next cycle of treatment,2 menstrual cycles in total.After treatment for 4 weeks and 8 weeks,the modyfiedKupperman score of two groups was recorded.Besides,after 8 weeks treatment,serum follicle stimulating hormone,estradiol and luteinizing hormone level were measured,and the side effects of two groups during the research were recorded too.Results1.Comparison of the modified Kupperman scores in the two groups before and after treatment: there was no significant difference between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05),and the data of the two groups were comparable.The modified KI scores of the two groups were all decreased after 4 weeks and 8 weeks ' s treatment,and the difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05).After 4 weeks of treatment,the modified KI score of the patients in the hormone group was significantly lower than that in the acupuncture group,and the difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,there was no significant difference in the modified KI scores between the two groups(P>0.05),indicating that with the prolongation of treatment time,there was no significant difference in the therapeutic effect between acupuncture and hormone replacement therapy.2.Comparison of various scores of the modified Kupperman in the two groups before and after treatment: Before treatment,there was no significant difference in the various scores of the modified KI scores between the two groups(all P>0.05),and the data of the two groups were comparable.After 8 weeks of treatment,the scores of the both groups were lower than those before treatment,and the difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the improvement of symptoms like hot flushes,and genitourinary symptoms in the hormone treatment group was better than that in the acupuncture treatment group(P<0.05).3.Comparison of serum sex hormone levels in the two groups before and after treatment: Before treatment,there was no significant difference in the serum E2,FSH,LH levels between the two groups(all P>0.05),and the data of the two groups were comparable.After 8weeks of treatment,the serum E2 levels in two groups were higher than those before treatment,and the the serum FSH,LH levels were lower than those before treatment,differences were statistically significant(all P < 0.05).serum E2 change in the Hormone therapy group was significantly than that in the acupuncture group(P<0.05),difference between the two groups had statistical significance(P <0.05);There were no significant differences in changes of serum FSH and LH in two groups(all P>0.05).4.Comparison of adverse reactions in the two groups before and after treatment in the course of research.in the acupuncture group: one case of patients suffered from unbearable needling pain,one cases of patients suffered from mild ecchymoma,one case appeared weak after acupuncture,the total incidence of adverse reactions was 9.38%.In the Hormone treatment group,three cases appeared a small amount of vaginal bleeding,five cases suffered from mild breast pain,one case of patient suffered from headache,One case of patient had gastrointestinal discomfort,the total incidence of adverse reactions was34.38%.No patients was dropped out during treatment in the two groups.There was statistical significance in two groups about adverse reactions(P<0.05).Conclusion1.Both "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy and hormone replacement therapy had significant effects on menopausal syndrome.Both they could significantly improve the modified KI scoresin patients with menopausal syndrome,and the hormone replacement therapy might be effective earlier.2.Both "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy and hormone replacement therapy could significantly improve the clinical manifestations of patients with menopausal syndrome.And "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy may had more advantages on emotional disorders and pain symptoms like insomnia,nervousness,depression,dizziness,arthralgia and myalgia,headache.however,hormone replacement therapy had more advantages on symptoms like sweating,hot flushes,sexual complaints and urinary infection.3.Both "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy and hormone replacement therapy could significantly improve the serum E2 level and reduce the serum FSH,LH levels in patients with menopausal syndrome.and serum E2 levels in patients with hormone replacement therapy group rosed more significantly.4.Both the "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy and hormone replacement therapy can effectively relieve symptoms of menopausal syndrome patients,each of them has its advantages,but the "root-tip points combination" acupuncture therapy was more security than hormone replacement therapy,and it was worthy of clinical application.