ArticleFrontiers in medicine2026
Effectiveness of warm acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a retrospective study on clinical and molecular outcomes.
Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that causes pain and mobility loss in older adults. This study aimed to examine changes in connexin Cx26, Cx43, and Cx45 expression in OA patients after warm acupuncture with moxibustion. Methods: Records of 46 OA patients treated between March 2022 and December 2024 were reviewed, along with 46 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. This was a retrospective cohort study. Clinical scores [Lysholm knee score, visual analog scale (WOMAC)] were used to assess joint function, pain, and mobility. Warm acupuncture with moxibustion was applied following a standardized protocol, targeting specific acupoints, including Dubi (ST35), Zusanli (ST36), Yinlingquan (SP9), Yanglingquan (GB34), and Heding. The intervention was administered three times per week for 8 weeks. Laboratory data on bone metabolism markers [osteoprotegerin (OPG), and bone gla protein (BGP)], inflammatory mediators [MMP-1, MMP-3, prostaglandin E2, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], and the mRNA expression of Cx26, Cx43, and Cx45 were analyzed. Results: Post-treatment, the Lysholm knee score (LKSS) increased and the VAS and WOMAC scores decreased ( Conclusions: Warm acupuncture with moxibustion improved joint function, reduced pain and inflammation, and normalized connexin expression in OA patients. The standardized treatment protocol and the retrospective cohort design provide insight into the potential clinical benefits of this approach for OA management.
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