Effect Of Moxibustion On TGF-?1?HIF-1? And VEGF Levels In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Objective:To observe the effect of moxibustion on the serum levels of transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1),hypoxia-inducible factor-1?(HIF-1?)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in patients with arthritis(RA),and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in patients with RA.Methods:46 patients with RA who accord with the criteria were randomized into a treatment group and a control group,with 23 patients in each group.The control group was treated with conventional western medicine,and the treatment group was supplemented with moxibustion at ST36,BL23 and Ashi points on the basis of conventional western medicine treatment.It was twice a week for 4 weeks as a course of treatment,two course of treatment.Before and after treatment,clinical symptoms,routine laboratory parameters,and serum levels of TGF-?1,HIF-1?,and VEGF were compared in two groups of RA patients.Statistical analysis using SPSS21.0 statistical software.Results:1.Baseline results:(1)Demographics and disease-related data Baseline: baseline of gender,age,and duration of disease in both RA patients was consistent and comparable(P>0.05).(2)Baseline of clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators:baseline of clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators before treatment in both groups were consistent and comparable(P > 0.05).(3)Baseline levels of TGF-?1,HIF-1?,and VEGF in serum: the baseline levels of TGF-?1,HIF-1?,and VEGF in the serum of patients with RA before treatment were consistent and comparable(P>0.05).2.Effect of Moxibustion on Clinical Symptoms and Laboratory Parameters of RA Patients :(1)Intra-group comparison: The clinical symptoms of both RA patients after treatment improved(P<0.05).Laboratory indicators improved after treatment in treatment group(P<0.01);after treatment,the levels of CRP and ESR in the control group were improved(P<0.05),and the RF content was not significantly improved(P > 0.05).(2)Comparison between groups: after treatment in two groups of RA patients,the improvement of clinical symptoms in the treatment group was better than that in the control group(P<0.05);there was no significant difference between the two groups in the improvement of laboratory parameters(P>0.05).3.The effect of moxibustion on the content of TGF-?1?HIF-1? and VEGF in serum of RA patients:(1)Intra-group comparison: TGF-?1?HIF-1? and VEGF levels in serum were improved in the treatment group before and after treatment(P<0.05).TGF-?1 and VEGF levels were improved in the control group before and after treatment(P<0.05).The content of HIF-1? was not significantly improved(P > 0.05).(2)Comparison between groups: After treatment,the improvement of HIF-1?and VEGF in the treatment group was better than that in the control group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in the improvement of TGF-?1 between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions:1.Moxibustion can enhance the improvement of clinical symptoms of conventional western medicine in patients with RA,and thus enhance the analgesic and swelling effects of conventional western medicine on RA.2.Moxibustion can enhance the effect of conventional western medicine on the serum levels of HIF-1? and VEGF in patients with RA,thereby enhancing the anti-inflammatory effects of conventional western medicine on RA.3.Moxibustion enhances the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of conventional western medicine on RA patients,which may be related to the effect of moxibustion on the serum levels of HIF-1? and VEGF in patients with RA.