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Additive Effect of Moxibustion Therapy and Treadmill Exercise as a Treatment for Intermittent Claudication Associated with Peripheral Arterial Disease

Lei Wang, Hua-ping Pan, Zun Wang, Zhen-yu Cao, Jia-jia Qian and Bin Xu

Objective: To determine the effect of moxibustion combined treadmill exercise on subjects with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Methods: 80 PAD patients were randomly assigned into a control group (CG, n=20), a moxibustion therapy group (MG, n=20), a treadmill exercise group (TG, n= 0) and a moxibustion therapy combined with treadmill exercise group (MTG, n=20) with the treatments of 18 weeks. Outcome measurements were lower limbs' transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂), treadmill-walking test to determine when claudication pain begins and how long it takes to reach the maximum claudication pain, 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ).

Results: MG, TG and MTG treatment groups showed a significantly better curative effect (p<0.05) in all of the outcome measurements. Compared to MG, the TG and MTG showed significantly more improvement in the treadmill exercise test as well as in the 6MWT and WIQ (p<0.05); compared to TG, MTG was better in treadmill walking time to reach maximum claudication pain, 6MWT and the stair-climbing capability in WIQ (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Moxibustion therapy in combination with treadmill exercise can improve the lower limber microcirculation, relieve symptoms of intermittent claudication, and improve quality of life of PAD patients. Moxibustion combined with treadmill exercise shows further improvement in low limber exercise capacity.