Objective To explore the clinical effects of abdominal acupuncture combined with warm needling on knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods Eighty-six patients with KOA were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the digital random table

43 cases in each one.In the treatment group

patients were treated with abdominal acupuncture at Zhongwan(CV 12)

Guanyuan(CV 4)and Huaroumen(ST 24)

Wailing(ST 26)and Xiafengshidian(Extra)on the affected side

as well as warm needling at Neixiyan(EX-LE 4)

Dubi(ST 35)

Heding(EX-LE 2)

Liangqiu(ST 34)and Xuehai(SP 10)of the affected side.In the control group

warm needling was given.All the patients were treated 5times a week for 4weeks.Each dimension score of Western Ontario and McMaster University(WOMAC)osteoarthritis index scale and health survey 36-item short form(SF-36)of the two groups was compared before and after treatment.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to test serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and angiopoietin-1(Ang-1).Results Compared with those before treatment

the scores of pain

stiffness

joint function of WOMAC scale and serum VEGF

Ang-1of the two groups were lower after treatment(all P<0.01)

and each dimension score of SF-36 scale increased significantly(all P<0.01).Each dimension score of WOMAC scale and serum VEGF

Ang-1in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group after treatment(all P<0.01)

and each score of SF-36 was higher(all P<0.01).The total effective rate of 93.0%(40/43)in the treatment group was higher than 74.4%(32/43)in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Abdominal acupuncture combined with warm needling can effectively alleviate pain and stiffness

improve the function of knee joint and quality of life

with definite effect for KOA.The mechanism may be related to the decreasing of serum VEGF and Ang-1.