Clinical Study on Acupuncture Treatment for Refractory Gouty Arthritis with Damp-Heat Accumulation Syndrome in Acute Attack

doi:10.16458/j.cnki.1007-0893.2025.05.016

Abstract：Objective: To observe the efficacy of acupuncture in treating refractory gouty arthritis with damp-heat accumulation syndrome during acute attack. Methods: A total of 60 patients with acute attack of refractory gouty arthritis with damp-heat accumulation syndrome were selected from the outpatient and inpatient departments of the Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology at Sanming Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from July 2022 to December 2023. They were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group using a random number table, with 30 cases in each group. The control group received intravenous dexamethasone plus oral colchicine tablets, while the treatment group received acupuncture in addition to the treatment of the control group. The course of treatment lasted for 6 days. The joint pain levels of both groups were compared before treatment and on the 2nd, 4th, and 7th days after treatment. Laboratory indicators before and after treatment were also compared between the two groups, as well as the therapeutic effect and incidence of adverse reactions after treatment. Results: On the 2nd, 4th, and 7th days after treatment, the VAS scores of both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and the treatment group had lower scores than the control group at the same time, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum uric acid (UA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in both groups were lower than before treatment, and the treatment group was lower than the control group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group, with statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with Western medicine for the treatment of refractory gouty arthritis with damp-heat accumulation syndrome has significant clinical efficacy, which can significantly reduce the patient's pain level, inflammatory response, and uric acid level.