Clinical Research Of Bee-sting Therapy In The Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

ObjectiveA randomized controlled clinical study was designed to observe the clinical efficacy and safety of bee-sting therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.MethodFrom Dec.2017 to Aug.2018,We enrolled 60 cases patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis who visited the clinic of the department of the Acupuncture and Moxibustion of the first affiliated hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 into two groups,Bee-sting group and Drug group.Bee-sting group is treated by bee-sting therapy and Drug Group takes methotrexate plus celecoxib.After 8 weeks' treatment,we observed the change of the number of tender joints,the number of swollen joints,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)in two groups,assessed the efficacy of two groups using Disease Activity Score 28(DAS28)and drew the conclusion by using SPSS 25.0 software to do the statistical inference.ResultsBefore treatment,there was no significant difference between two groups in terms of gender,age and course of disease,which meant the baseline level of two groups was comparable.After 8-weeks sessions,all the observation indexes in each group were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),indicating that both bee-sting therapy and drugs can effectively alleviate the disease.Regarding of decreasing the number of tender joints and VAS,the effect of bee-sting group was better than that of drug group(P<0.05).As to decreasing the number of swollen joints and ESR,there was no significant difference between two groups(P>0.05).In terms of efficacy,there was a significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05),and the efficacy of bee-sting group was better than that of drug group.In terms of safety,no serious adverse events occurred in two groups,which meant both of them were roughly safe.ConclusionBoth bee-sting therapy and drugs can effectively improve the condition.Specifically,bee-sting is better than drug in alleviate the painful joints,but both of them are roughly equal in reducing the swollen joints and ESR.As to the efficacy,bee-sting therapy is superior to drugs.In conclusion,as a simple,safe and reliable therapy,can effectively improve joint swelling and pain,reduce blood sedimentation,reduce disease activity.Bee acupuncture is superior to drugs in improving joint pain.And in the improvement of joint swelling,esr,bee acupuncture and drug effect is equivalent.In terms of efficacy,bee acupuncture is also better than drugs.In conclusion,as a simple,safe and reliable therapy,bee-sting therapy deserved more attention.