• Ling Zhao, Xueyong Shen, Ke Cheng, Haiping Deng, Guanghong Ding, Ming Tan, and Lixing Lao.
• Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
• Photomed Laser Surg. 2010 Jun 1; 28 (3): 351-6.

ObjectiveThe goals of the present study were to evaluate the effect and safety of combined 10.6 microm and 650 nm laser acupuncture-moxibustion on patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to validate a nonacupoint sham control for assessing the effect of point specificity on the treatment.Materials And MethodsA randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial was conducted in an outpatient clinical setting on patients with knee OA (n = 40). Laser irradiation was performed on acupoint Dubi (ST35) and a sham point three times a week for 4 wk. Outcome measurements were performed at baseline and at wk 2 and 4 using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities' Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).ResultsAt the 2-wk assessment, i.e., after 6 treatments, improvement in the WOMAC pain score of the acupoint group was significantly greater than that of the control group (49.21% vs. 11.99%, respectively; p = 0.021). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the WOMAC physical function score (p = 0.129) or joint stiffness score (p = 0.705). No side effects were found during the trial.ConclusionsCombined 10.6-mum-650-nm laser acupuncture-moxibustion on acupoint ST35 is safe to use and was effective after 2-wk treatment, but not at the 4-wk assessment, in relieving knee OA pain compared to a nonacupoint sham control. A larger clinical trial to verify our findings is warranted.

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