To observe the clinical effect of bee acupuncture therapy on rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

A total of 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the bee acupuncture therapy clinic, rheumatology out patient and hospitalization of Lianyungang Affiliated Hospital were included in this study during the period from June 2015 to May 2017.The patients according to random number table method were randomly divided into drug group and drug + bee acupuncture group.Drug group was treated with meth otrexate, 5 mg as the initial measurement, 1 time a week, and the amount was gradually increased by 2.5 mg each time, to a total of 10 mg. Meanwhile, oral prednisolone acetate was taken by 7.5 mg once a day. The drug + bee acupuncture group was treated with the same dosage regimen with the drug group, together with the bee acupuncture therapy every other day, 3 times a week with 1 week break between 2 weeks, and 1 month for a course. The curative effect was observed in two groups after two courses of treatment.

After the treatment, the drug + bee acupuncture group was more efficient than the drug group(Z=-2.168, P<0.05). The joint pain degree, joint swelling degree, morning stiffness time and joint pain number were improved after treatment in the two groups, as in the drug group(t= 0.816, -0.569, -1.413, -0.685, all P<0.05), and the drug+ bee acupuncture group(t=-2.594, -0.558, 0.064, 0.079, all P<0.05). But the improvement of drug + bee acupuncture group was better than the drug group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=-0.688, -1.542, 0.169, -0.761, all P<0.05).

Drug+ bee acupuncture therapy is more effective in alleviating RA patients′ clinical symptoms than simple drug therapy.