Acupuncture for Treatment of Secondary Osteoporosis in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE: We explored the effect of adjunctive acupuncture on secondary osteoporosis in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Patients with subacute SCI were recruited and divided into two groups by patient choice: group 1 patients received standard combination therapy and group 2 patients received combination therapy plus acupuncture for 3 months. The concentrations of IgG, IgM and tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) in serum and the bone mineral density were measured before and after treatment. RESULT: The decrease in the concentration of TNFα and IgM in patients in group 2 compared with those in group 1 was statistically significant. The IgG level showed no significant change in either group. Bone mineral density increased more after adjunctive acupuncture, but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to determine whether acupuncture as an adjunct to combination therapy can reduce osteoporosis in patients with subacute SCI. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: P153-2008-36.