| Objective To observe the clinical effects of short-term acupuncturing treatment to tonify kidney and strengthen spleen on primary osteoporosis in elderly male patients. Methods 60 elderly male patients with primary osteoporosis were randomly divided into true acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group, with 30 men in each group. The true acupuncture group received bilateral acupuncture at Shen shu point (BL 23), Pi shu point (BL 20), Ming men point (DU 4), Zusanli point (ST 36), Guanyuan point (RN 4) and Ashi point at the most painful point, with needles retaining time of 30 min each time, twice a week for 3 months. The acupuncture points of the sham acupuncture group is 2 inches by the side of the true acupuncture points with the same treatment course. Assessments included VAS scores, TCM syndrome grade and bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and left femoral neck in each group before and after treatment. Results After 3-month treatment, VAS scores in the true acupuncture group decreased significantly (t=16.307, P<0.01), but not in the sham acupuncture group (t=0.302, P>0.05), and there were significant differences between the two groups (t=72.58, P<0.01). TCM syndrome grade and total effective rate of the true acupuncture group were significantly superior to those of the sham acupuncture group (X2=33.61, P<0.05).There was an increasing trend, but not significant increase in the BMD of both lumbar spine and left femoral neck before and after therapy in the true acupuncture group; there were little changes in BMD in the sham acupuncture group before and after therapy. Conclusion The short-course therapy of acupuncture, to tonify kidney and strengthen spleen, in elderly male patients with primary osteoporosis may improve both pain symptom and TCM syndrome, and these improvements predate the improvement in bone density. |