[Effects of Zhoutian moxibustion on pain symptoms and inflammatory factors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis of cold-damp obstruction].

Objective: To observe the effects of Zhoutian moxibustion on pain symptoms and serum inflammatory factors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis of cold-damp obstruction.
Methods: Eighty-four patients with ankylosing spondylitis of cold-damp obstruction were randomly divided into a Zhoutian moxibustion group (42 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a governor vessel moxibustion group (42 cases, 2 cases dropped out, 1 case discontinued). Both groups were given oral administration of sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablets as basic treatment. The governor vessel moxibustion group was treated with moxibustion box from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoyangguan (GV 3), one hour per treatment; the Zhoutian moxibustion group was treated with moxibustion box from Tiantu (CV 22) to Zhongji (CV 3) in addition to the governor vessel moxibustion group, two hours per treatment. Both groups were treated once every 3 days, twice a week, for a total of 9 weeks. The pain symptom scores of the two groups were observed before treatment and at the 3rd, 6th, and 9th weeks into treatment. ELISA was used to detect the levels of serum interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated after treatment.
Results: Except for the joint pain scores at the 3rd week into treatment, the total scores and the each sub-item score of pain symptom in the two groups were lower than those before treatment at the 3rd, 6th, and 9th weeks into treatment ( P <0.05); at the 3rd, 6th, and 9th weeks into treatment, the total scores of pain symptom and the scores of lumbar sacral pain, back pain, joint cold pain, and limited mobility in the Zhoutian moxibustion group were lower than those in the governor vessel moxibustion group ( P <0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum IL-1β, IL-18 and TNF-α in both groups were lower than those before treatment ( P <0.05), and the levels of serum IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α in the Zhoutian moxibustion group were lower than those in the governor vessel moxibustion group ( P <0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% (36/40) in the Zhoutian moxibustion group, which was higher than 76.9% (30/39) in the governor vessel moxibustion group ( P <0.05).
Conclusion: Zhoutian moxibustion could effectively improve various pain symptoms in patients with ankylosing spondylitis of cold-damp obstruction, and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors.