[Effect of administration of acupuncture stimulation combined with Gushen Zhuyu Decoction on lumbar function in patients with disc herniation].

To investigate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture stimulation combined with administration of"Gushen Zhuyu Tang"(decoction for consolidating kidney to eliminate blood stasis, DCKEBS) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients.A total of 147 patients with LDH were randomly divided into DCKEBS, acupuncture and DCKEBS+acupuncture groups (n= 49 cases in each group). The patients of the acupuncture group received a) acupuncture stimulation of Dazhui (GV14), Ganshu (BL18), Shenshu (BL23), Tianshu (ST25), Yanglingquan (GB34), etc., b) fire needle pricking of the topical tendons, cord-like points, tender-points, c) row-needles stimulation of the attachment sites of muscles of the sacroiliac joint or crista iliaca, and d) acupotomy-debonding of the topical high-tension muscles, twice a week for 4 weeks. Those patients of the DCKEBS group were ordered to take DCKEBS [containing fried Yiyiren (Semen Coicis), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni), fried Baizhu (Rhizoma Astractylodis), Sangjisheng (Ramulus Loranthi), Duzhong (Cortex Eucommiae), Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraieae), etc.] 150 mL, twice daily, continuously for 4 weeks, and those of the DCKEBS+acupuncture group received the combined treatment mentioned above in the acupuncture and DCKEBS groups. The pain severity was assessed by using visual ana-logue scale (VAS, 0-10 points) and the modified Japan Orthopaedic Association questionnaire (M-JOA) score (0-30 points), separately, and the lumbar range of motion (ROM) and lumbar muscle strength were tested to evaluate the lumbar motor function. The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and apoptosis related factors Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were assayed using ELISA. The total effective rates of the three groups were compared.After the treatment, the VAS and M-JOA scores, contents of serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the myodynamia of lumbar muscular flexor and extensor was considerably increased (P<0.01) in the three groups, and the ROM angles of lumbar extending and buckling were increased (P<0.01) in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group compared with pretreatment. Comparison among the 3 groups showed that the VAS and M-JOA scores, and serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 contents of the DCKEBS+acupuncture group were significantly lower than those of both DCKEBS and acupuncture groups (P<0.01), while the ROM angles of lumbar extending and buckling, and the myodynamia of lumbar muscular flexor and extensor were obviously higher in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group than those of the DCKEBS and acupuncture groups (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 93.88%(46/49) in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group, higher than 75.51%(37/49) in the DCKEBS group and 71.43%(35/49) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05).Acupuncture combined with DCKEBS can relieve pain, improve lumbar muscle strength and lumbar movement function, and reduce serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 levels in LDH patients.目的:观察针刺联合中药固肾逐瘀方治疗肝肾亏虚型腰椎间盘突出症(LDH)的临床疗效, 并探讨部分作用机制。方法:147例LDH患者按照随机数字表法分为中药组、针刺组和联合组, 每组49例。中药组予以固肾逐瘀方口服治疗, 每日1剂;针刺组予以点、线、面、整体结合针法针刺治疗, 每周治疗2次;联合组予以针刺联合中药治疗。各组均治疗4周。比较各组患者治疗前后疼痛视觉模拟量尺(VAS)评分、改良日本骨科协会问卷(M-JOA)评分、腰部活动范围(ROM)、腰部肌力, 并比较各组患者血清肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、基质金属蛋白酶2(MMP-2)、Caspase-3、Caspase-9含量, 对临床疗效进行评价。结果:治疗后各组患者VAS、M-JOA评分均较治疗前降低(P<0.01);联合组伸展、屈曲ROM较治疗前增大(P<0.01)。各组患者腰部屈肌、伸肌肌力较治疗前显著增加(P<0.01);血清TNF-α、MMP-2、Caspase-3、Caspase-9含量较治疗前显著降低(P<0.01)。联合组VAS、M-JOA评分均低于中药组和针刺组(P<0.01), 伸展、屈曲ROM及腰部屈肌、伸肌肌力均大于中药组和针刺组(P<0.01), 血清TNF-α、MMP-2、Caspase-3、Caspase-9含量低于中药组和针刺组(P<0.01)。联合组总有效率为93.88%(46/49), 高于中药组的75.51%(37/49, P<0.05)和针刺组的71.43%(35/49, P<0.05)。结论: 针刺联合固肾逐瘀方可缓解腰椎间盘突出症疼痛, 改善腰背部肌肉力量和腰椎活动范围, 降低血清TNF-α、MMP-2、Caspase-3、Caspase-9含量, 更好地发挥治疗LDH的作用。.