Observation on clinical therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion combined with mecobalamin on diabetic perineuropathy and effects on patients' blood homocysteine

Abstract

ObjectiveTo observe the therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion combined with mecobalamin on diabetic perineuropathy and the effects on blood homocysteine in patients with diabetic perineuropathy. MethodsOne hundred and fifty patients with diabetic perineuropathy meeting with the inclusive criteria were randomized into a moxibustion group, a mecobalamin group and a therapeutic alliance group by using random digits table. Moxibustion was carried out on Tàixī (▪ KI 3), Sānyīnjiāo (▪ SP 6), Zúsānl▪ (▪ ST 36), Hégŭ (▪ LI 4) and Qūchí (▪ LI 11) for the patients in the moxibustion group, the treatments were carried out once every other day, treatments for ten times were considered as a treatment course, and totally three treatment courses were carried out. The patients in the mecobalamin group were orally administered with mecobalamin tablet 500 μg once, three times a day, 20 days were considered as a treatment course, and totally three treatment courses were carried out. Moxibustion was carried out on the basis of oral administration with mecobalamin tablet in the therapeutic alliance group. The clinical symptoms, nerve conductive velocities and changes in blood homocysteine were observed before and after the treatments in the three groups. ResultsThe total effective rate in the moxibustion group was 74.0% (37/50), 82.0% (41/50) in the mecobalamin group, 94.0% (47/50) in the therapeutic alliance group, and the total effective rate in the therapeutic alliance group was significantly better than the other two groups (P<0.01). The nerve conductive velocities in the mecobalamin group and the therapeutic alliance group after the treatments were significantly increased and the blood homocysteine level decreased in comparison to those before the treatments (P<0.01), while the nerve conductive velocity increased and the blood homocysteine level decreased in the therapeutic alliance group after the treatments in comparison to those in the other two groups (P<0.01). ConclusionTreatments on diabetic perineuropathy by therapeutic alliance of moxibustion and mecobalamin can not only improve symptoms of patients, increase nerve conductive velocity in affected limbs, but also decrease blood homocysteine level. The method is simple, economical and safe, and it deserves being generalized in clinical practices.