Economic Evaluation of Treating Herpes Zoster with Various Methods of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the cost effect of surrounding acupuncture plus electric acupuncture,cotton-sheet moxibustion,puncturing with red-hot needles,tapping plus cupping on herpes zoster.METHODS:Five hundred patients with herpes zoster were randomly divided into group A(surrounding acupuncture plus electric acupuncture),group B(cotton-sheet moxibustion),group C(puncturing with red-hot needles),group D(tapping plus cupping),and group E(Western medicine).The treatment was carried out twice a day in group E and once a day in the other four groups.The curative effect was observed on the 10th day of treatment;the cost was calculated for the five therapies,and the cost-effect ratio(C/E) and increment ratio(△ C/△ E) were analyzed.RESULTS:After the 10-day treatment,there was no statistical difference(P>0.05) in the curative effect among the five groups.Pain being alleviated one day faster than in group E amounted to a saving of RMB 21.90 yuan in group A,a saving of RMB 21.87 yuan in group B,a saving of RMB 26.00 yuan in group C,and a saving of RMB 20.23 yuan in group D.Compared with group C,the values of △ C/△ E were RMB 1.55,2.81,and 0.21 yuan in groups A,B,and D,respectively.CONCLUSIONS:The curative effect in groups A,B,C,and D was similar to that in group E,but the C/E was better than in group E.