Effects of acupuncture combined with bone-setting therapy to treat tourette syndrome: a three-arm randomized controlled trial

doi:10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.01.017

Abstract

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with atlantoaxial joint bone-setting therapy for the treatment of Tourette syndrome.

METHODS: We randomly divided 600 patients at a ratio of 1∶1∶1 into three groups: group A (acupuncture combined with atlantoaxial joint bone setting therapy group), group B (acupuncture group), and group C (tiapride group). After two months of treatment, the Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) score reduction, improvement in social function impairment, clinical efficacy, and long-term efficacy in the three groups were compared.

RESULTS: After treatment, in the analysis of YGTSS score reduction, social function impairment improvement, the clinical control rate, and long-term efficacy, the results were all Group A > Group B > Group C, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). However, the total clinical efficacy of treatment in group A (94.9%) was not significantly different from that in group B (91.8%). Adverse reactions did not occur in groups A and B, and several adverse reactions occurred in 29% (n = 58) of the group C patients.

CONCLUSION: Compared with traditional drug therapy, acupuncture combined with atlantoaxial joint bone setting therapy has better clinical and long-term efficacy. This treatment strategy can improve the social function of children and prevent adverse reactions to drugs.

Key words: Tourette syndrome, acupuncture, atlanto-axial joint, tiapride hydrochloride, bone setting, randomized controlled trial

LANG Jiawang, JIN Lingqing, LUO Jianchang, LANG Boxu. Effects of acupuncture combined with bone-setting therapy to treat tourette syndrome: a three-arm randomized controlled trial[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025, 45(1): 176-183.

Figures/Tables 5

Figure 1 Flow chart of the study

Table 1 Comparative analysis of baseline data

Item	Group A (n = 200)	Group B (n = 200)	Group C (n = 200)	P value
Gender (male/female) (n)	156/44	151/49	156/44	0.789
Age (years)	8.1±2.5	7.7±2.3	7.8±2.7	0.33
Course of disease (years)	2.7±1.2	2.6±1.1	2.6±1.2	0.464
YGTSS (points)	18.7±7.1	19.3±7.1	19.2±7.5	0.652
Social function impairment (points)	30 (20, 30)	30 (20, 30)	30 (20, 40)	0.846

Table 2 Comparison of scores of YGTSS, social function impairment in each group before and after treatment ($\bar{x}±s$)

Outcome		Group A (n = 200)		Group B (n = 200)		Group C (n = 200)
Outcome		Before	After	Before	After	Before	After
YGTSS (points)		19 ±7	4±6^a	19±7	6±6^c	19±7	8±7^e
YGTSS (points)		Social function impairment (n)	No damage	1	131^b	0	85^d	1	59^f
	Extremely mild	12	26	9	35	10	29
	mild	51	19	55	34	52	30
	Moderate	88	12	92	26	85	38
	Pronounced	42	7	37	13	42	20
	Serious	6	1	7	1	10	6

Table 3 Comparison of difference of YGTSS, social function impairment score among groups (scores)

Outcome	Group A (n = 200)	Group B (n = 200)	Group C (n = 200)
Difference of YGTSS score ( $x ˉ$ ± s)	15±7^a	13±7^c	11±7
Difference of social function impairment score [M (P25, P75)]	20 (12.5, 30)^b	10 (20, 20)^d	10 (0, 20)

Table 3 Comparison of difference of YGTSS, social function impairment score among groups (scores)

Outcome	Group A (n = 200)	Group B (n = 200)	Group C (n = 200)
Difference of YGTSS score ( $x ˉ$ ± s)	15±7^a	13±7^c	11±7
Difference of social function impairment score [M (P25, P75)]	20 (12.5, 30)^b	10 (20, 20)^d	10 (0, 20)

Table 4 Comparison of clinical efficacy, long-term efficacy [n (%)]

Outcome		Group A (n = 186)	Group B (n = 178)	Group C (n = 144)
Clinical efficacy	Clinical control	122 (62.2)^a	79 (40.7)^c	53 (29.1)
	Effective	42 (21.4)	60 (30.9)	47 (25.8)
	Valid	22 (11.2)	39 (20.1)	44 (24.2)
	Invalid	10 (5.1)	16 (8.2)	38 (20.9)
	Total efficacy	186 (94.9)	178 (91.8)	144 (79.1)^c
Long-term efficacy	No	95 (77.9)	48 (60.8)	17 (32.1)
	Yes	27 (22.1)^b	31 (39.2)^d	32 (67.9)

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