Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture as an adjuvant treatment with first-line medications on bone metabolism biomarkers and interleukin-17(IL-17) in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).METHODS: Sixty RA patients were randomized into three groups. The control group was treated with methotrexate plus leflunomide(MTX + LEF),the acupuncture group was treated with simple needling plus MTX + LEF, and the patients in the electroacupuncture(EA) group were treated with EA plus MTX + LEF. EA or acupuncture was applied every other day for a total of 10 times over a treatment period of 8 weeks.RESULTS: In all three treatment groups, serum levels of the bone metabolism markers PICP, N-MID,and B-ALP were elevated and the concentrations of the inflammatory markers β-CTx, IL-17, CRP, and TRACP-5b were reduced after treatment. These differences were significant for the EA group but not the other groups(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: EA could effectively reduce the suffering and improve the quality of life of RA patients. It is a promising adjuvant therapy for enhancing the effectiveness of clinical therapeutics.

Key words: Electroacupuncture, Rheumatoid arthritis, Bones, Metabolism, Biomarkers, Interleukin-17