A total of 60 patients with WD dystonia with internal retention of damp heat pattern were randomized into acupuncture and medication groups using a random number table, with 30 participants in each group. All patients had a low-copper diet and consumed dimercaptopropanesulfonate sodium (DMPS) for copper excretion. In the acupuncture group, on the base of the same treatment as that given to the medication group, acupuncture was applied at Băihuì (百会GV20), Shéntíng (神庭GV24), Chéngjiāng (承浆CV4), Jiānyú (肩髃LI5), Nàoshū (臑俞SI10), Wàiguān (外关TE5), Nèiguān (内关PC6), Shŏusānlĭ (手三里LI10), Hégŭ (合谷LI4), Yángxī (阳溪LI5), Huántiào (环跳GB30), Bìguān (髀关ST31), Yánglíngquán (阳陵泉GB34), Fēnglóng (丰隆ST40), Zúsānlĭ (足三里ST36), Sānyīnjiāo (三阴交SP6), Xuánzhōng (悬钟GB39), and Xíngjiān (行间LR2). Before and 24 days after treatment, the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and Burke–Fahn–Marsden dystonia rating scale (BFMDRS) were used to evaluate dystonia symptoms.

Before treatment, the MAS score difference between the acupuncture and medication groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Compared with the score before treatment, the MAS score was lower significantly in both the acupuncture group (2.63 ± 0.76 vs 4.50 ± 0.78) and medication group (3.30 ± 0.65 vs 4.40 ± 0.77) after treatment (both P < 0.05). After treatment, the MAS score in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the medication group (P < 0.01). Before treatment, the BFMDRS score was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the score before treatment, the BFMDRS score was significantly lower in both the acupuncture (64.97 ± 14.26 vs 85.23 ± 16.99) and medication groups (11.33 ± 2.60 vs 75.40 ± 16.25) after treatment (both P < 0.05). The BFMDRS score of the acupuncture group was lower than that of the medication group after treatment (P < 0.05).