Table 3.
Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, Ca199, and CRP in plasma.
| Variables | Group | Baseline | Week 4 | Week 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFN-γ (pg/ml) | Treatment | 3.90 ± 1.82 | 5.88 ± 1.56∗# | 5.81 ± 1.45∗# |
| Control | 3.93 ± 0.75 | 3.53 ± 0.35 | 3.61 ± 0.26 | |
| IL-4 (pg/ml) | Treatment | 3.29 ± 1.04 | 1.82 ± 0.55∗# | 1.65 ± 0.42∗# |
| Control | 3.48 ± 1.10 | 4.15 ± 1.23 | 4.32 ± 1.56 | |
| IL-6 (pg/ml) | Treatment | 79.83 ± 41.72 | 53.29 ± 29.50∗# | 51.18 ± 31.98∗# |
| Control | 81.79 ± 25.67 | 88.66 ±22.65 | 85.23 ± 26.89 | |
| CRP (U/ml) | Treatment | 39.73 ± 16.20 | 28.11 ± 15.63∗# | 30.32 ± 12.53∗# |
| Control | 36.52 ± 14.30 | 44.65 ± 10.68 | 45.59 ± 12.83 | |
| Ca199 (U/ml) | Treatment | 60.53 ± 34.21 | 45.83 ± 21.31∗# | 43.59 ± 25.03∗# |
| Control | 58.57 ± 22.57 | 63.43 ± 22.15 | 65.89 ± 25.56 |
Values represent mean ± SD; treatment group (n = 81) and control group (n = 54). P values between baseline measurement and measurements at weeks 4 and 8 in treatment group: ∗P < 0.01; P values between measurements in treatment group and measurements in control group at weeks 4 and 8; #P < 0.01 (Mann–Whitney U test).