Page 36 - วารสารกรมการแพทย์แผนไทยฯ ปีที่ 10 ฉบับที่ 3

186 «“√ “√°“√·æ∑¬å·ºπ‰∑¬·≈–°“√·æ∑¬å∑“߇≈◊Õ° ªï∑’Ë 10 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 3°—𬓬π-∏—𫓧¡ 2555

Abstract
The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
‡
‡
‡
‡
Suwat Tanakornnuwat,*, Wang Hua , Fu Ping , Li Jiakang , Liang Fengxia , Cheng Bangguo ,
‡
‡
Zhou Zhongyu , Naowarat Sumtib*, Pimnapa Saesow*, Jirakunya Chuenjai*, Tasnee Hasanine †
†
*Sao Hai Chaloemphrakiat Hospital, Sao Hai District, Saraburi Province, Thailand, Southeast Asian
Institute of Thai-Chinese Medicine, Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative
Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese
‡
Medicine, Huangjiahu, Hongshan District, Wuhan City, People’s Republic of China
Corresponding author: ping_suwat@yahoo.com
This is a preliminary study of acupuncture effectiveness in treatment of peripheral neur-
opathy in type-2 diabetic patients at Sao Hai Chaloemphrakiat Hospital in Sao Hai district,
Saraburi province, Thailand. The study was conducted in 48 patients divided into two groups:
one with acupuncture plus medications as an experimental group and the other with only medi-
cations as control group. The drugs used included amitriptyline hydrochloride 10mg/day and
vitamin B12, while seven main acupuncture points were Quchi (LI 11), Weiwanxianshu (EX-B3),
Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Four
peripheral neurological examination scores were used to indicate the treatment results, namely
Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS), Score Scale of Clinical Symptom for DPN (SS-DPN), Michi-
gan Diabetes Neuropathy Score (MDNS) and Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS).
The results showed that acupuncture combined with medications could markedly reduce
numbness in the lower extremities better than medications alone (RR = 0.223, 95% CI = 0.062-
0.794). In evaluating reaction by NSS, patients in the control group showed the effective rate of
8.32%, but 91.52% in the experimental group, whereas by SS-DPN, there was improvement in
effectiveness in both groups, with the control group at the rate of 45.76%, and 79.04 % in the
experimental group. However, it showed no improvement in effectiveness or 0% in the control
group while the experimental group revealed the effective rate of 95.68% when evaluating by
MDNS. Lastly, in evaluating by NDS, patients with medications alone had the effective rate of
37.45%, but the experimental group 91.52%. Nevertheless, the patient satisfaction with the qual-
ity of life was at the same level for both groups.
Key words: acupuncture, numbness in the lower extremities, diabetic peripheral neuropathy