Effect Of Moxibustion On Serum Levels Of MMP1,MMP3 And VEGF In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1),matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA),and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion on RA.Method: Sixty-six RA patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into treatment group and control group.The control group was given oral methotrexate tablets(7.5 mg once a week),folic acid tablets(10 mg once a week)or leflunomide tablets(10 mg once a day).On the basis of drug treatment in the control group,the treatment group was treated with moxibustion at Shenshu,Zusanli and Ashi points twice a week,eight times a course of treatment,a total of two courses of treatment.The clinical symptoms,routine test indicators and serum test indicators were recorded and evaluated at 0 and 8 weeks respectively.The clinical symptom evaluation index includes VAS score,morning stiffness score,tenderness joint number,swelling joint number,DAS28 score;routine test index includes ESR,CRP,RF;serum detection index includes the content of MMP1,MMP3,and VEGF,etc.SPSS21.0 statistical software was used to analyze the data of two groups of patients.Result: 1.Baseline results:Before treatment,the baseline data,clinical symptoms evaluation index,routine test index(RF,ESR,CRP),serum MMP-1,MMP-3,and vascular endothelial growth factor levels of the two groups were consistent(P > 0.05),which was comparable.2.The influence of moxibustion on clinical symptoms and routine test indexes of RA patients:Compared with those before treatment,VAS score,morning stiffness score, tenderness joint number,swelling joint number,DAS28 score,RF,ESR,CRP were significantly improved in both groups after treatment(P < 0.05).Compared with the control group,the improvement of VAS score,morning stiffness score,tenderness joint number,swelling joint number and DAS28 in the treatment group was more obvious than that in the control group(P < 0.05);there was no significant difference in the improvement of RF,ESR and CR P between the two groups(P > 0.05).3.Effect of moxibustion on serum levels of MMP1,MMP3 and VEGF in patients with RA: Compared with before treatment,the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in both groups were significantly improved after treatment(P < 0.05);the contents of MMP1 and MMP3 in the treatment group were significantly improved after treatment(P < 0.05);the contents of MMP1 and MMP3 in the control group were not significantly improved after treatment(P > 0.05).Compared with the control group,the improvement of MMP1,MMP3 and VEGF in the treatment group was more obvious than that in the control group(P < 0.05).Conclusion: 1.Moxibustion combined with western medicine can better improve the clinical symptoms of RA patients and reduce disease activity.2.Moxibustion combined with western medicine can better improve the expression of MMP1,MMP3,and VEGF in serum of RA patients,which indicates that the improvement of clinical symptoms of RA patients by moxibustion may be related to the influence of the expression of MMP1,MMP3,and VEGF,and may have potential bone protection effect.3.Moxibustion may have a potential bone protective effect on RA,which may be related to the effect of moxibustion on the expression of MMP1 and MMP3 by regulating the level of vascular endothelial growth factor,thus alleviating cartilage damage.