Objective To observe the effect of moxibustion on immune function in patients with persistent vegetative state. Methods Sixty patients with persistent vegetative state were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group

with 30 cases in each group. Both groups were given routine medical treatment and nursing of persistent vegetative state. The treatment group was added with moxibustion at points Zhongwan（ CV12）

Xiawan（ CV10）

Qihai（ CV6）

and Guanyuan（ CV4）

with 3 sections of moxa on each acupuncture point

once per day

continuously for five times every week. Both groups were both treated for 12 weeks. Before and after treatment

T lymphocyte subsets（ including CD4

+

CD4

+

/CD8

+

CD8

+

） and serum levels of immunoglobulin（ including IgG

IgA and IgM） were examined in the two groups. Results In the treatment group

levels of CD4

+

CD4

+

/CD8

+

IgG

IgA and IgM were significantly higher after treatment than those before treatment（ P

<

0. 01）

and they were also higher than those in the control group after treatment（ P

<

0. 01）

while there was no significant change in levels of CD8

+

before and after treatment（ P

>

0. 05）. Conclusion Moxibustion treatment could obviously improve immune function in patients with persistent vegetative state.