Several studies have investigated the roles of genetic polymorphisms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some of these studies reported that polymorphisms of poly(ADPribose) polymerase 1 gene (PARP-1) are linked to rheumatoid arthritis. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase is an enzyme involved in DNA repair, genomic stability, apoptosis, gene transcription, proliferation, and autoimmunity. To determine whether genetic polymorphisms of PARP-1 are related to rheumatoid arthritis in a Korean population, six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which were selected based on LDs and minor allele frequency (MAF [ 0.05) in our previous study, were genotyped in 1,202 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 979 unrelated healthy controls. As a result, no significant association between the susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis and PAPR-1 polymorphisms was found. However, in further analysis depending on the radiological severity of rheumatoid arthritis, one PARP-1 polymorphism, rs1805413 (OR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.02-0.55; P = 0.007; P corr = 0.04), and one haplotype (ht6, OR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.02-0.55; P = 0.007; P corr = 0.04) were significantly associated with the radiological severity risk of RA in a recessive model. In addition, a recessive model revealed a correlation between one RA haplotype (ht4) and anti-CCP antibody negativity (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.10-0.63, P = 0.003; P corr = 0.02). Despite a possible association between PARP-1 and the radiological severity of RA, this study found no statistical association between PARP-1 polymorphisms and the susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in a Korean population.

Objective:The purpose of this study is to report the effects of Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture treatment in patients with lumbago and skelalgia.Methods:This clinical study included 45 patients who were treated for lumbago and skelalgia at the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibusition, Dong-Eui University College of Oriental Medicine, from July 5, 2011, to January 31, 2012. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: Chukyu (spinehealing)- pharmacopuncture-treated group (experimental group, n = 23) and normal saline-pharmacopuncture-treated group (control group, n = 22). Patients in the experimental group were treated with acupuncture and Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture while those in the control group were treated with acupuncture and normal saline pharmacopuncture. To estimate the efficacy of controlling pain, we checked the visual analog scale [VAS], and to estimate the improvement of the symptoms, we evaluated by pain rating scale [PRS] and the Oswestry low-back pain disability index [ODI].Results:A comparison of the experimental and the control groups showed more significant improvements in the VAS, PRS, and ODI for the experimental group than for the control group.Conclusions:Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture can be used for effective treatment in patients with lumbago and skelalgia.