RESEARCH - Therapeutic effects of acupuncture in patients with RA

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Ann Nucl Med. 2009 May;23(3):311-6. Epub 2009 Apr 1. Links

Therapeutic effects of acupuncture in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis: a prospective study using (18)F-FDG-PET.

Sato M, Inubushi M, Shiga T, Hirata K, Okamoto S, Kamibayashi T,

Tanimura K, Tamaki N.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of

Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether

improvement of regional inflammatory findings in knee joints of

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could be detected by positron-emission

tomography (PET) using (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) after

acupuncture treatments, as well as improvement of systemic

inflammatory markers.

METHODS: Six RA patients (all female, 61 +/- 12 years old) received 10

acupuncture treatments in 2 months, to 11 traditional acupuncture

points around a knee joint considered effective on RA. A visual

analogue scale (VAS) for intensity of pain, knee joint range of motion

(ROM), face scale for patient mood, and modified health assessment

questionnaire (MHAQ) for disability of daily activities were assessed

just before and after acupuncture. Maximum standardized uptake value

(SUV(max)) and the volume with SUV more than 1.0 [Volume(SUV > 1)] on

FDG-PET images as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and

C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also measured before and after

the treatments.

RESULTS: VAS, ROM, face scale and MHAQ improved in all patients and

significantly after acupuncture, but no significant change was

detected in ESR, CRP, SUV(max), or Volume(SUV > 1).

CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture relieves symptom, remedies physical function,

and improves quality of life in RA patients, but may have no or very

limited anti-inflammatory effect systemically. The regional effects of

acupuncture are unlikely to be induced through reduction of regional

inflammation. We believe this clinical study is the first step for

elucidating therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture, which must be

important for the rational use and further development of acupuncture.

PMID: 19337783

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19337783

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