Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of triple-puncture stimulation of Zhibian(BL 54)

etc.combined with moxibustion therapy for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).Methods Two hundred patients with BPH who met the inclusive criteria were randomized into control(acupuncture)and treatment(acupuncture plus moxibustion)groups(n=100cases in each one).Patients of both the control and treatment groups were treated by puncturing the sensitive spot of bilateral Zhibian(BL 54

with triple filiform needles)

and other main acupoints as Pang-Shuidao(ST 28

one cun beside ST 28)

Pang-Guilai(ST 29

one cun beside ST 29)

Shenshu(BL 23)

Sanyinjiao(SP 6)

Guanyuan(CV 4)

Zhongji(GV 7)

and some supplemented acupoints selected according to the syndrome identification.In addition

for patients of the treatment group

bird-pecking moxibustion was applied to bilateral Zhibian(BL 54)

and the rest acupoints were punctured with filiform needles which were attached with ignited moxa stick-segments.The treatment was conducted for 30 min every time

once every day for 20 times

with 2days' rest between the two 10days' treatments.The state of the patients' prostate(micturation state)was evaluated according to the"International prostate symptom score"(I-PSS

0-35 poins

7symptom questions)and quality of life(QOL

0-6points)score before and after the treatment.Results After the treatment

both I-PSS score and QOL score of the two groups were significantly decreased compared with pre-treatment in the same one group(P<0.01)

and the effect of the treatment group was evidently superior to that of the control group in lowering I-PSS score and QOL score(P<0.01).Of the two 100 cases in the control and treatment groups

23(23.0%)and 42(42.0%)experienced a marked improvement

51(51.0%)and 47(47.0%)were effective

and 26(26.0%)and 11(11.0%)invalid

with the effective rates being 74.0% and 89.0%

respectively.The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was obviously superior to that of the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture plus moxibustion treatment is effective in improving BPH patients' micturation symptoms

which is superior to the simple acupuncture intervention.