[Efficacy on endometriosis treated with electroacupuncture].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on endometriosis (EM) between electroacupuncture (EA) and western medication. METHODS: Seventy-two EM patients were divided into an EA group and a western medication group according to visiting departments, 36 cases in each one. In the EA group, acupuncture was applied to Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Diji (SP 8), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3). After qi arrival, G6805-I pulse electronic apparatus was attached to bilateral Zigong (EX-CA 1), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zhongji (CV 3), with continuous wave, 70 Hz in frequency, 3 mA in intensity. The EA was given once every two days. In the western medication group, mifepristone tablets were prescribed for oral administration, 12. 5 mg per treatment, once a day, for 6 months. The pain degree was observed before and after treatment and the clinical efficacy and recurrence rate were evaluated in the two groups. The enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the tumor marker serum CA125 before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 94. 4% (34/36) in the EA group and was 91. 7% (33/36) in the western medication group, without significant difference (P>0. 05). The pain score after treatment was lower than that before treatment in the two groups (both P< 0. 01), but the score after treatment in the EA group was lower than that in the western medication group (P<0. 05). Serum CA125 was reduced after treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P<0. 01), and serum CA125 after treatment in the EA group was lower than that in the western medication group (P<0. 05). In the follow-up visit of one year, the reoccurrence rate was 17. 6% (6/34) in the EA group and was 33. 3% (11/33) in the western medication group, indicating the significant difference (P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: EA achieves the significant clinical efficacy and the reoccurrence rate in 1 year in the EA group is obviously lower than that in the western medication group. This therapy could be promoted in clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion.