Objective: To analyze the regularities of combination of acupoints in the existing clinical trial literature by using complex network technique, so as to provide reliable evidence for selecting appropriate acupoint recipes in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with acupuncture and moxibustion therapies.
Methods: Clinical papers about acupuncture treatment of KOA published from January of 2000 to April of 2020 were searched from Chinese and English databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Pubmed and ScienceDirect by using keywords of "acupuncture", "moxibustion" and "knee osteoarthritis". According to the inclusive and exclusive criteria, the collected papers were screened out to set up a database. SPSS Modeler18.0 software was used to analyze the association rules of acupoints (including the core acupoint nodes and compatibility relationship), and Gephi0.9.2 software was employed to conduct a complex network analysis about the compatibility rules of acupoints and their application characteristics of moxibustion and needling methods in the treatment of KOA (shown by a complex network schematic diagram).
Results: A total of 444 acupuncture prescriptions were extracted, including 6 single-acupoint prescriptions (1.35%) and 438 multiple-acupoint prescriptions (98.65%). A total of 112 acupoints were involved, with the application frequency of 3 389. Among them, the application frequency of the Neixiyan (EX-LE4)is the highest (354 times, 10.45%), followed by Dubi (ST35), Xuehai(SP10), Yanglingquan(GB34), Liangqiu(ST34), Zusanli(ST36), etc. The mainly involved meridians are the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming and the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin. The involved specific acupoints are the Five-shu (stream) acupoints, being the most commonly used, followed by the crossing points, and lower confluent (sea) acupoints.
Conclusion: In the treatment of KOA with acupuncture and moxibustion, the regularities and characteristics of acupoint combinations (acupoint prescriptions) are: 1) often selecting local acupoints at the lower limbs, 2) frequently applying the Five-shu acupoints (specific acupoints), and 3) matching the acupoints of the outside meridians and inside meridians, especially those of the Spleen Meridian and Stomach Meridian.
目的：基于复杂网络技术，分析近20年临床观察类文献中针灸治疗膝骨性关节炎(KOA)的腧穴配伍规律，为临床针灸治疗KOA提供选穴依据和治疗思路。方法：检索中国知网、万方、维普、PubMed、ScienceDirect数据库，根据纳入和排除标准筛选文献，建立针灸治疗KOA处方数据库，运用SPSS Mode-ler18.0进行关联性分析，分析核心腧穴节点和配伍关系，利用Gephi0.9.2软件展示复杂网络示意图。结果：最终提取针灸处方444条，单穴处方为6条(1.35%)，多穴处方为438条(98.65%)，共涉及112个腧穴，总使用频次3 389次。其中内膝眼使用频次最高(354次，10.45%)，其次为犊鼻、血海、阳陵泉、梁丘、足三里等穴。腧穴归经主要为足阳明胃经、足太阴脾经。特定穴以五输穴使用最多，其次为交会穴和下合穴。结论：针灸治疗KOA的腧穴配伍规律是以下肢局部取穴为主，特定穴以五输穴为主，配穴方式以表里经配穴为主，尤其注重脾经与胃经腧穴的应用。.
Keywords: Acupuncture and moxibustion; Combination of acupoints; Complex network analysis; Knee osteoarthritis.