Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety between syndrome-differentiation acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training and simple rehabilitation training for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Methods: A total of 60 children with ASD were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. In the control group, routine rehabilitation training was applied; in the observation group, syndrome-differentiation acupuncture (the main points were Baihui [GV 20], Dingshenzhen, Niesanzhen, etc., the supplementary acupoints were selected according to syndrome-differentiation) combined with rehabilitation training were applied, all the treatments were given once a day, 5-day continuous treatment with 2-day interval, 12 weeks were required. Before treatment and after 6, 12 weeks of treatment, the autism treatment evaluation checklist (ATEC), childhood autism rating scale (CARS) and autism behavior checklist (ABC) scores were observed, the therapeutic effect and safety were evaluated in the two groups.
Results: After 6 and 12 weeks of treatment, except for the sensory perception score after 6 weeks of treatment in the control group, the item scores and total scores of ATEC, CARS scores and ABC scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05). After 6 weeks of treatment, the social score and total score of ATEC, CARS score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); after 12 weeks of treatment, the item scores and total score of ATEC, CARS score and ABC score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 80.0% (24/30), which was higher than 56.7% (17/30) in the control group (P<0.05). There was no serious adverse reactions in the two groups, and there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Syndrome-differentiation acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training could improve the core symptoms in children with ASD, especially sensory perception and social ability, and with good safety, which is superior to simple rehabilitation training.
目的：比较辨证针刺联合康复训练与单纯康复训练治疗孤独症谱系障碍（ASD）患儿的临床疗效及安全性。方法：将60例ASD患儿随机分为观察组（30例）和对照组（30例）。对照组予常规康复训练；观察组采用辨证针刺联合常规康复训练，穴取百会、定神针、颞三针等，并根据辨证配穴，均每日治疗1次，每周连续治疗5 d后休息2 d，共治疗12周。于治疗前及治疗6、12周后，观察两组孤独症治疗评估量表（ATEC）、儿童孤独症评定量表（CARS）、孤独症行为量表（ABC）评分，并评定疗效及安全性。结果：治疗6、12周后，除对照组治疗6周后感知觉评分外，两组患儿ATEC各分项评分及总分、CARS评分、ABC评分均较治疗前降低（P<0.05）；治疗6周后，观察组患儿ATEC社交评分及总分、CARS评分低于对照组（P<0.05）；治疗12周后，观察组ATEC各分项评分及总分、CARS评分、ABC评分均低于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组总有效率为80.0%（24/30），高于对照组的56.7%(17/30，P<0.05）。两组均无严重不良反应，不良反应发生率比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：辨证针刺联合康复训练治疗可改善ASD患儿核心症状（尤其是感知觉和社交能力），安全性好，疗效优于单纯康复训练治疗。.
Keywords: acupoint selection based on syndrome-differentiation; acupuncture; autism spectrum disorder; randomized controlled trial (RCT).