Effects of TCM external scalding therapy on spleen-stomach deficiency cold stomachache and inflammatory indexes

Abstract

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) external scalding therapy on spleen-stomach deficiency cold stomachache.

Methods: The medical records of 98 patients with spleen-stomach deficiency cold stomachache treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from January 2019 to January 2020 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 52 patients treated with western medicine were assigned to the control group, while the other 46 patients treated additionally with TCM external scalding therapy were assigned to the observation group. The two groups were compared in terms of serum gastrin (GAS), inflammatory factors and visual analogue scale (VAS) score, adverse reaction rate and symptom remission time.

Results: After treatment, the observation group showed a significantly lower GAS level than the control group (P<0.05), along with significantly lower serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) than the control group (all P<0.05). The observation group demonstrated significantly lower VAS score than the control group (P<0.05). The observation group experienced notably shorter remission time of dull epigastric pain, epigastric distension, fatigue and belching and acid reflux than the control group (all P<0.05), and a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions was found in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that history of alcoholism and treatment method were independent risk factors affecting patient outcomes (all P<0.05).

Conclusion: TCM external scalding therapy has shown effectiveness in treating spleen-stomach deficiency cold stomachache. It alleviates stomachache symptoms and also reduces the occurrence of adverse reactions and inflammation, holding great potential for widespread adoption in clinical practice.

Keywords: External scalding therapy; multivariate analysis; spleen-stomach deficiency cold stomachache; traditional Chinese medicine.

Figure 1

Study flow chart.

Figure 2

Changes of inflammatory indexes in patients before and after treatment. A. Changes of TNF-α level in patients before and after treatment; B. Changes of IL-1β level in patients before and after treatment; C. Changes of IL-6 level in patients before and after treatment. Notes: TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-1β: Interleukin-1β; IL-6: interleukin-6; nsP<0.05, **P<0.01, ****P<0.0001.

Figure 3

Changes of GAS level and VAS score in patients before and after treatment. A. Changes of GAS level in patients before and after treatment; B. Changes of VAS scores in patients before and after treatment. Notes: GAS: Gastrin; VAS: Visual analogue scale; nsP<0.05, ****P<0.0001.