Objective To observe the synergism of warm acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hya-luronate on knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods A total of 179 KOA outpatients were randomized into warm acupuncture group(n=90) and control group(n=89) according to a randomized numeral table.Warm acupuncture(needle warmed by moxibustion) was applied to Zusanli(ST 36)

Xuehai(SP 10)

Yinlingquan(SP 9)

Nèixīyǎn(EX-LE 4)

etc.from the second day on after intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate(2 mL

once a week for 5 weeks).Sodium hyaluronate intra-articular injection was given to the patients alone in the control group.Knee joint motor function was scaled before

2 weeks(W) and 5 W after the therapy.The patients' quality of life was determined by using "Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale" before and 5 W after the the-rapy.Results In comparison with pre-therapy

the knee-joint motor function scores of both control group and acupuncture group were increased progressively and significantly 2 W and 5 W after the therapy.Both the knee-joint motor function score and the therapeutic effective rate of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.001

P<0.05).After the therapy

the scores of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale were significantly improved in both groups(P<0.01)

and that of the acupuncture group was obviously lower than that of the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion Warm acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate is an effective therapy for knee osteoarthritis.