Efficacy of needle warming moxibustion combined with celecoxib on knee osteoarthritis and its effects on levels of serum MMP-3, TIMP-1, TMP-1 and IGF-1

Objective Anti-inflammatory drugs are the main drugs for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis(KOA), but the drugs have obvious toxic and side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine needle warming moxibustion is used in the treatment of KOA for a long time.The following research aimed to study the efficacy of needle warming moxibustion combined with celecoxib on KOA. Methods Eighty patients with KOA were divided into control group(n=40, 0.2 g/time, once/d, two weeks) and observation group(n=40, 2-week needle warming moxibustion on the basis of control group) according to the random assignment principle. After 1 week and 2 weeks of treatment, the osteoarthritis index, degree of knee joint pain,levels of serum related substances, treatment effects and safety were evaluated. Results After 1 week and 2 weeks of treatment, the scores of items of WOMAC scale and degree of knee joint pain in the two groups were significantly lower than those in the same group before treatment(all P<0.05), and the scores of items of WOMAC scale and degree of knee joint pain after treatment in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group(all P<0.05). After 1 week and 2 weeks of treatment, the levels of TGF-β and IGF-1 in observation group were significantly higher than those before treatment(all P<0.05) while the levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 were significantly lower than those before treatment(all P<0.05), and the levels of serum MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in control group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment(all P<0.05), and the levels of serum TGF-β and IGF-1 in observation group after treatment were significantly higher than those in control group at the same time while the levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 were significantly lower than those in control group at the same time(all P<0.05). The effective rate of treatment in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in adverse treatment reactions between the two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion Needle warming moxibustion combined with celecoxib can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and repair the damaged soft tissues of knee joints of KOA patients, with high treatment safety.