Objective: We explored the effect of adjunctive acupuncture on secondary osteoporosis in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Methods: Patients with subacute SCI were recruited and divided into two groups by patient choice: group 1 patients received standard combination therapy and group 2 patients received combination therapy plus acupuncture for 3 months. The concentrations of IgG, IgM and tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) in serum and the bone mineral density were measured before and after treatment.
Result: The decrease in the concentration of TNFα and IgM in patients in group 2 compared with those in group 1 was statistically significant. The IgG level showed no significant change in either group. Bone mineral density increased more after adjunctive acupuncture, but the difference was not significant.
Conclusions: Further research is needed to determine whether acupuncture as an adjunct to combination therapy can reduce osteoporosis in patients with subacute SCI.
Trial registration number: P153-2008-36.
Keywords: CLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY; MOXIBUSTION; OSTEOPOROSIS ARTHRITIS.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.