OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and the relevant effect factors of acupuncture for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in females.

METHODSOf 83 female patients of T2DM, 49 cases were deficiency of kidney yin syndrome and 34 cases were yin and yang deficiency syndrome. Acupuncture was adopted and the acupoints were selected according to the syndrome differentiation. In kidney yin deficiency syndrome, Taixi (KI 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Taichong (LR 3) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. were selected. In yin and yang deficiency syndrome, Shenshu (BL 23), Pishu (BL 20), Yishu (Extra) and Jingmen (GB 25), etc. were selected. In 3 courses of treatment, the changes in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), insulin resistace index (Homa-IR), index of islet beta-cell function (Homa-beta), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were compared before and after treatment between the two groups. The relationship of the efficacy was analyzed in terms of the syndrome differentiation, age, duration of sickness, obesity and hereditary factors.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the levels of FPG, FINS, Homa-IR, TC, TG and LDL-C were reduced obviously (all P < 0.01) and the levels of ISI, Homa-beta and HDL-C were increased apparently (all P < 0.01). The total clinical effective rate was 80.7% (67/83), in which, that of kidney yin deficiency syndrome was 83.7% (41/49) and that of yin and yang deficiency syndrome was 76.5% (26/34). The efficacy was not different significantly between the two syndromes. But, the younger the age was, the better the efficacy was.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture positively regulates the glucose and lipid metabolism in the patients of T2DM. This therapy improves insulin resistance, enhances the body sensitivity to insulin and improves insulin beta-cell function. The efficacy is related to the patient's age.