• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.219-228
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• 2005

Objectives : to evaluate the effects of Jetongdan, the newly developed herbal medicine, on the quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis of knee Methods : Placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial on the 80 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee was fulfilled. After enrollment, they took medication as they enrolled. And they were asked to answer the questionnaires (Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire (KHAQ), Lequesne's functional index (LFI), visual analogue scale (VAS)) and analysed with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at baseline, after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of medication. Results : Total KHAQ score, some categories of KHAQ like hygiene, activities were significantly improved after 8 weeks of medication. And the change of the KHAQ score was significantly correlated with the change of VAS. But LFI, VAS, ESR level was not significantly improved, and it was considered because of the short medication period and small size of study population. Conclusion : In conclusion, Jetongdan could improve the health-related quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis of knee. Further study in the large population, in long period were recommended.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.271-280
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• 2005

Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate internal reliability and correlation among assessment instruments of knee OA. Methods : Data were obtained from 85 patients with knee OA. They were asked to answer VAS pain scale, two disease-specific questionnaires (WOMAC and LFI) and one instrument about health-related quality(KHAQ). Reliability was assessed using cronbach`s alpha. Correlation was assessed by examining the pearson`s correlation coefficients. Results : Cronbach`s alpha of all Index except WOMAC stiffness subscale.(6679) exceeded the value of 0.70. A good correlation was obtained between WOMAC Subscales (especially Pain Subscale) and LFI (.726

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.183-195
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• 2007

Objectives : To determine whether individualized acupuncture (IA) provides greater pain relief and improved function compared with standardized acupuncture (SA) in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods: Design is a randomized single blind controlled trial with two intervention arms (IA vs SA) of 6 weeks' duration and 3 months follow up. An orthopedist diagnosed 50 patients' symptoms as knee osteoarthritis. Interventions were applied by 2 residents studying the acupuncture and moxibustion specially in Dongguk University International Hospital. Primary outcome measure is pain as measured by visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondary measures of pain and disability include WOMAC, SF-36, LFI and KHAQ. Results : The 50 participants were well matched for age, sex, bad side, VAS, WOMAC, SF-36, LFI and KHAQ scores at the baseline. 3 participants dropped out. There have not been any adverse events in both groups. Participants in both groups experienced great improvement in all measures except SF-36at 3 and 6 weeks. At 18 weeks, the IA group experienced significantly greater improvement than the SA group in VAS but not in WOMAC, SF-36, LFI and KHAQ. Conclusions : Manipulation of IA seems to provide pain relief longer for osteoarthritis of the knee when compared with SA.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.35-45
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• 2005

Objectives : To investigate the applicability of thermography as severity measurement in the patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Methods : Data were obtained from 80 patiens with OA of the knee. They were asked to answer two disease-specific questionnaire (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) OA index. Lequesne's Functional Index (LFI)), one generic instrument (Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire (KHAQ)), VAS in order to assess the severity of disease, quality of life, and degree of pain and taken thermography in standardized environment. Results : The thermal difference between ipsilateral side and contralaterla side of lateral aspect of knee was correlated with that of medial aspect of knee, and the thermal difference of anterior thigh was correlated with that of lateral, medial aspect of knee and patella region. Age, duration of disease, duration of morning stiffness, sex, crepitus, and painful side of knee were not correlated with the thermal differences of each region. LFI, WOMAC, WOMAC pain subscale, WOMAC stiffness subscale, WOMAC physical function, KHAQ, VAS were not correlated with the thermal differences of each region. Conclusion : Futher study on the thermography on OA of the knee in population with appropriate severity grade and the standardization of analysis of thermographic data were recommended.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2002

Objective: To evaluate the effects of bee venom acupuncture(BVA) on the rehabilitation and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis(RA) patients Methods: Patients with RA were treated with the BVA therapy twice a week for 3 months. Tender joint counts, swollen joint counts, morning stiffness, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate(ESR), C-reactive protein(CRP), patient global assessment, physician global assessment, Korean health assessment questionnaire(KHAQ) were estimated and analyzed before and after BVA therapy. Results: Tender joint counts, swollen joint counts, morning stiffness showed significant decrease after BVA therapy. But, as acute inflammatory reactants, ESR showed no significant difference and CRP showed significant increase after BVA therapy. Patient global assessment, physician global assessment, and KHAQ index showed significant improvement after BVA therapy. Conclusions: BVA therapy can improve rehabilitation and health-related quality of life in RA patients as well as clinical symptoms and signs. Further study is required in more population with large scale including acute inflammatory reaction of BVA therapy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.155-164
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• 2006

Objectives : The aim of this study is to validate the correlation between Assessment Instruments of Knee OA and digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) and to find out the methods to assess knee OA by DITI. Methods : 60 subjects were evaluated. They were asked to answer VAS pain scale, WOMAC, KHAQ and LFI. Correlation was assessed by examining the spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Results : VAS, WOMAC and LFI was correlated with not only the thermal difference between Ant. knee and Post. knee, but also the lowest temperature of Ant. knee. Conclusion: DITI value was useful for evaluating the degree of OA. And we should find out that decrease of pain is correlated with change of DITI value.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2006

Objectives: The aim of this syudy is to validate the between Assessment Instruments of Knee OA and digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) and to find out the methods to assess knee OA by DITI. Methods: 60 subjects were evaluated. They were asked to answer VAS pain scale, WOMAC, KHAQ and LFI. Correlation was assessed by examining the spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Results: VAS, WOMAC and LFI was correlated with not only the thermal difference between Ant. knee and Post. knee, but also the lowest temperature of Ant. knee. Conclusion: DITI value was useful for evaluating the degree of OA. And we should find out that decrease of pain is correlated with change of DITI value.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.171-178
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• 2009

Objectives : To investigate the correlation between DITI and assessment instruments of knee OA. Methods : Data were obtained from 127 subjects with OA of the knee. They were asked to answer VAS pain scale, LFI, WOMAC and KHAQ. Correlation was assessed by examing the pearson's correlation and spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Results : The thermal difference between the patella of knee was correlated with VAS, LFI and WOMAC. Age, duration, BMI and sex were not correlated with the thermal differences of each region. Conclusions : DITI value was useful for evaluating the severity of OA. And we should find out the standardization of analysis of DITI value for diagnosis of OA.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.207-219
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• 2004

Objectives : We investigated to find the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL4R, IL-10 and bee venom therapy efficacy in patients with RA treated with bee venom for 8 weeks. Methods : Korean RA patients (n=114) and healthy subjects (n=109) were included in this prospective study. Korean bee venom was dissolved in saline (diluted 1:3000) and administrated into acupuncture points. Bee venom therapy was applied twice a week and continued for 8 weeks. The clinical response was evaluated using various assessments before and after treatment. Disease severity was measured by determining the number of tender joints and swollen joints. Laboratory studies included ESR, CRP, and rheumatoid factor. Genotyping for IL-4R and IL-10 polymorphism was done by pyrosequencing analysis. Results : 1. In IL4R genotypes, there was significant difference between RA ptitients tind controls group. 2. In IL4R genotypes, there was significant difference among Good, Mild and Bad responders to in RA patients, but in the frequency of alleles and carriers, there were no significant difference. 3. There was no significant difference between RA patients and controls group in IL-10 gene genotypes. 4. In IL-10 genotypes, there was no significant difference among Good, Mild and Bad responders to in RA patients. 5. There was no significant difference in the improvement of ESR, CRP and KHAQ scores after bee venom therapy in RA patients among the IL4R or IL-10 genotypes. Conclusions : In IL-4R genotypes, there was significant difference between RA patients and control group, and among Good, Mild and Bad responders in RA patients. However, in IL-10 genotypes, there was no significant difference between RA patients and controls group and among Good, Mild and Bad responders in RA patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.225-232
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• 2006

Objective : To test the hypotheses that individualized traditional Korean acupuncture improves pain and disability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and that benefits remain after stopping treatment more so than is the case for standardized minimal acupuncture. Design : Randomized single blind controlled trial with two intervention arms (individualized traditional Korean acupuncture, standardized minimal acupuncture) of six weeks' duration and three months follow-up. Setting : Acupuncture interventions were applied by two training doctors in the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in a 1000-bed hospital. Assessment of the result was performed in a university-based laboratory. Participants : 50 patients with symptoms of knee osteoarthritis as diagnosed by an orthopedist. Intervention : Individualized traditional Korean acupuncture or standardized minimal acupuncture for six weeks. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome measure was pain as measured by the visual analogue scale. Secondary measures of pain and disability included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index, Short Form-36 (SF-36), Lequesne Functional Index (LFI) score and Korean version of Health Assessment Questionnaire (KHAQ). Discussion : This paper presents detail on the rationale, design, methods and operational aspects of the trial.