Effect of Sanhuangwuji powder, anti-rheumatic drugs, and ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with peptic ulcer: a randomized controlled study

To observe the efficacy and safety of oral Sanhuangwuji powder, anti-rheumatic drugs (ARDs), and ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complicated by peptic ulcer. This prospective randomized controlled study included 180 eligible inpatients and outpatients randomly assigned to an ARD treatment (n = 60), ginger-partitioned stimulation (n = 60), or combination treatment (n = 60). Patients assigned to the ARD group were given oral celecoxib, methotrexate, and esomeprazole. Patients assigned to theginger-partitioned stimulation group were given ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) in addition to the ARDs. Patients in the combination treatment group were given oral Sanhuangwuji powder, ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36), and ARDs. All patients were followed up for 2 months to evaluate clinical effects and safety. The study was registered in the World Health Organization database at the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Area Command PLA (ChiCTR-TCC12002824). The combination treatment group had significantly greater improvements in RA symptoms, laboratory outcomes, and gastrointestinal symptom scores, compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The peptic ulcer healing rate in the combination treatment group was significantly greater than that in the ARD treatment group (χ2 = 16.875, P < 0.05) and the ginger-partitioned stimulation group(χ2 = 6.171, P < 0.05). Combination treatment with ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36), oral Sanhuangwuji powder, and ARDs had a better clinical effect for RA with complicated peptic ulcer, compared with ARD treatmentalone or in combination with ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation.