Objective: To optimize the therapeutic programs for periarthritis of shoulder treated with acupuncture, moxibustion and kinetohterapy with orthogonal design method adopted.
Methods: The orthogonal design table of L8 (2(7)) hierarchical principle was used to randomly divide 192 patients of periarthritis of shoulder into 8 groups, 24 cases in each one. Separately, 4 factors and each different 2 levels were adopted in treatment, named acupuncture timing (factor A: A, acute stage, A2 adhesion stage), acupoint combination (factor B: B, local acupoints, B2 local acupoints and distal acupoints along meridians), filiform needling and warm needling therapy (factor C: C1 acupuncture with filiform needle, CZ acupuncture with filiform needle and warm needling therapy) and positive functional exercise (factor D: D1 without positive functional exercise, D2 with positive functional exercise). The treatment was given once a day, 10 treatments made one session and 2 sessions were required totally. The time points of observation were the point after 1 session of treatment and after 2 sessions of treatment. The short-form McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) and shoulder joint motor disturbance score were adopted for evaluation.
Results: In the orthogonal design analysis, taking the hierarchical factors into consideration, the age was considered as the main factor in the evaluation of shoulder pain and shoulder motor disturbance (P<0.01), and the shoulder function grade apparently impacted pain evaluation and the efficacy on shoulder motor disturbance (P<0.01). The best combination of 4 factors and 2 levels were A1B1CzD2 and A2BC2D2. SAS statistical analysis showed that at acute stage and adhesion stage, CZ Dz , meaning acupuncture with fifiform needling and warm needling therapy combined with positive functional exercise, is the main factor of the improvements of shoulder motor function (P<0.05).
Conclusion: For periarthritis of shoulder at acute stage, the combined therapy of acupuncture at local acupoints, warm needling and positive functional exercise is adopted. At chronic stage, the combined therapy of acupuncture at local acupoints and distal acupoints, acupuncture with filiform needle and warm needling and positive functional exercise is the best program. Additionally, in clinical treatment, the patients' age, sex, shoulder joint function and duration of treatment should be considered comprehensively for the impacts on the efficacy.