Objective To compare the effect of different doses of compound betamethasone intradermal block on post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in elderly patients. Methods Between June 2013 and December 2014, 96 elderly patients who matched the criteria of PHN were chosen and randomly divided into saline control group (group C), compound betamethasone 0.5 mL group (group B0.5) and compound betamethasone 1.0 mL group (group B1.0). For the control group, 20 mL analgesic saline liquid including 5 mL of 2% lidocaine was used. And 0.5 and 1.0 mL compound betamethasone was added into the solution of group C to get the solution for group B0.5 and group B1.0, respectively. The patients got intracutaneous injection once in the affected area on the day 1, 8, and 15 respectively, and patients in the same group were injected the same solution of analgesic liquid. All the patients took the same medicine during treatment. Their visual analog scale (VAS) scores, quality of sleep (QS) scores and adverse events before treatment (T0), at discharging from the hospital (T1), and three months after discharging (T2) were carefully noted and analyzed. Results The VAS and QS scores of the three groups at T1 and T2 improved significantly compared with those at T0 (P < 0.05). The VAS and QS scores of group B0.5 and group B1.0 improved significantly more compared with group C (P < 0.05), and the difference of VAS and QS scores between group B0.5 and group B1.0 was not statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Conclusions Adding 0.5 mL or 1 mL of compound betamethasone to the 20 mL analgesic liquid for intradermal block treatment on PHN can obviously release patients’ pain and improve their sleep quality. Compared with 1 mL, adding 0.5 mL compound betamethasone to the 20 mL analgesic liquid for intradermal block treatment on PHN is a more ideal dose.
ObjectiveTo discuss the efficacy and safety of the joint application of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. MethodsFrom January 2014 to January 2015, 72 patients who matched the criteria of moderate knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups according to the table of random number: oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablet and knee joint cavity ozone injection group (group G+O) and ozone group (group O). Patients of group G+O orally took glucosamine hydrochloride tablets (0.48 g, 3 times/day) for twelve weeks, and ozone was injected into the patients’ knee joint once a week for the first four weeks. The treatment for group O patients was the same with Group G+O, except that the glucosamine hydrochloride tablets were replaced by glucosamine hydrochloride placebo (2 tablets, 3 times/day, taking orally). We recorded the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, Western Ontario & McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index score and the adverse reactions before treatment and in the first, third and sixth month after treatment. ResultsPatients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores of both the two groups in the first, third and sixth month after treatment were significantly different from those before the treatment (P ＜ 0.05) . In the first month after treatment, there were no significant difference in patients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05) . In the third and sixth month after treatment, there were significant differences in patients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores between the two groups (P ＜ 0.05) . There was no obvious adverse reactions during the treatment. ConclusionsThe combined application of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection and the ozone treatment for moderate knee osteoarthritis are both effective, without any adverse reaction. The combined treatment of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection on moderate knee osteoarthritis has better long-term efficacy, and it is worth spreading.