Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation in treating chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (CPID).Method Totally 120 CPID patients were randomized into group A, group B and group C, 40 cases in each group. Group A was intervened by acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation, group B was by dry acupuncture treatment, while group C was by Chinese medicinal fumigation alone. After 3 treatment courses, the clinical efficacies were observed, and the relapse rates among the cured cases in 8 months after the whole treatment were compared among the 3 groups.Result The total effective rate and recovery rate were respectively 95.0% and 70.0% in group A, versus 82.5% and 45.0% in group B, and 57.5% and 32.5% in group C, and the total effective rate and recovery rate in group A were significantly different from that in group B and group C (P<0.05). The treatment duration for the recovered cases in group A was significantly different from that in group B and C (P<0.05). The relapse rate in the recovered cases in the 8-month follow-up was 10.7% in group A, versus 44.4% in group B and 53.8% in group C, and the relapse rate in group A was markedly lower than that in group B and C (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation is an effective method in treating CPID, and its advantages include content efficacy, short treatment duration, and low relapse rate, etc.

BACKGROUND:The important reason for failed back surgery syndrome is the postoperative epidural scar adhesions, therefore, exploring the methods of preventing postoperative lumbar epidural scar adhesions has always been a hot research in spine surgery field. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Shenshu point magnetic stimulation therapy on epidural scar adhesions in rat models of failed back surgery syndrome. METHODS:Sixty Sprague-Dawley rat models of failed back surgery syndrome were successfuly established using the method of laminectomy, and then divided into Shenshu magnetic therapy group and blank control group. Beginning from 1 week after modeling, rats in the Shenshu magnetic therapy group were subjected to bilateral Shenshu magnetic stimulation for 6 weeks, 5 days of treatment per week. Rats in the blank control group were not given any intervention. At 13 weeks after modeling, rats were harvested and the area ratio of epidural scars, range of adhesions and formation of colagen fibers were observed under light microscope. Fibroblasts were counted. Hydroxyproline content and transforming growth factor β1 expression in scar tissue were compared between these two groups.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction in treating thoracic facet joint disorder. Method A single-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Eighty-two patients meeting the criteria were randomly allocated to an observation group of 42 cases and a control group of 40 cases. The observation group received heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction and the control group, TDP plus manipulative reduction. Both groups were treated five times a week, five times as a course for a total of two courses (including the patients cured after less than two courses). The therapeutic effects were evaluated by using the McGill Pain Questionnaire the as the observation index, comparing pre-/post-treatment Pain Rating Index (PRI) scores, Visual Analogous Scale (VAS) scores and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scores and referring to the Criteria of the Diagnosis of and the Therapeutic Effect on Syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Result After treatment, the PRI, VAS and PPI scores decreased significantly in both groups (P<0.01) and were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01). The cure rate was 57.1% (24/42) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than 27.5% in the control group (11/40,P<0.01). The total efficacy rate was 95.2% (40/42) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than 80.0% in the control group (32/40,P<0.01). Conclusion Heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction has a very good therapeutic effect on thoracic facet joint disorder. The effect is significantly better than that in the control group.

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque and multiple risk factors of angiocardiopathy,and to evaluate the injuries caused by different risk factors to subclinical target organ to control the general risk factors of angiocardiopathy.Methods Four hundred and twenty six outpatients and impatients,treated in our hospital from May 2007 to May 2009 with the results of color ultrasonic examination,were divided into carotid atherosclerotic plaque group(284 cases) and no carotid atherosclerotic plaque group( 142 cases).The clinical information including their age,body mass index,smoking condition,past medical history such as hypertension,diabetes mellitus and hyperlipoidemia were recorded,and the levels of total cholesterol(T C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol( HDL-C),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),triglyceride (TG),lipoprotein ( a ) ( LP (a) ),apolipoprotein A - 1 ( Apo A 1 ),apolipoprotein B ( Apo B ),highsensitivity C-reactive protein( hs-CRP),homocysteine ( HCY),microalbuminuria( MAU ) and uricacid(UA) were determined by lab tests.The independent variable and univariable data were processed and analyzed statistically to find out the risk factors of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.Results Age and drinking were significantly correlated with the carotid intima-media wall thickening(IMT) (P ＜ 0.001 ).Overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,age,increased MAU and HCY could independently predict carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation ( x2 =71.35,38.45,t =3.26,x2 =37.23,t =118.51,6.723 and 3.17respectively,Ps ＜ 0.05 ).The aggregated number of the risk factors was correlated to IMT and carotid atherosclerotic plaque ( P =0.0001 ).Conclusion Age,drinking,overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,MAU and HCY are risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation,and the contribution of each factor can multiply and overlap,more risk factors means greater risk.

This study examined the wave intensity (WI) of the carotid artery in patients with hyperthyroid in order to assess the hemodynamic changes of hyperthyroid patients. A total of 86 hyperthyroid patients without cardiac morphological changes and arrhythmia, and 80 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Right common carotid artery (RCCA) was selected for ultrasonic imaging to obtain WI indices, including amplitude of the peak during early systole (W1), amplitude of the peak during late systole (W2), area of the negative wave during mid-systole (NA), interval between R wave of electrocardiogram and W1 (R-1st), interval between W1 and W2 (1st-2nd). The levels of serum thyroid hormones, consisting of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxin (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), were measured in hyperthyroid patients. Echocardiographic indices including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS) were determined in each subject. The results showed that the W1, W2, NA, and (1st-2nd×HR) in hyperthyroid patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. There was no significant difference in LVEF and LVFS between the two groups. FT3 was correlated with W1, W2, NA, (1st-2nd×HR), pulse pressure (PP) and heart rate (HR) in hyperthyroid patients. Several abnormal waves on WI curves were present in 19 hyperthyroid patients during mid-systole. It was concluded that WI technique may prove a real-time, noninvasive, sensitive and convenient tool for assessing the cardiac function and hemodynamic alterations in hyperthyroid patients.

This study examined the wave intensity (WI) of the carotid artery in patients with hyperthyroid in order to assess the hemodynamic changes of hyperthyroid patients. A total of 86 hyperthyroid patients without cardiac morphological changes and arrhythmia, and 80 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Right common carotid artery (RCCA) was selected for ultrasonic imaging to obtain WI indices, including amplitude of the peak during early systole (W1), amplitude of the peak during late systole (W2), area of the negative wave during mid-systole (NA), interval between R wave of electrocardiogram and W1 (R-1 st), interval between W1 and W2 (1 st-2nd). The levels of serum thyroid hormones, consisting of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxin (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), were measured in hyperthyroid patients. Echocardiographic indices including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS) were determined in each subject. The results showed that the WI, W2, NA, and (lst-2nd×HR) in hyperthyroid patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. There was no significant difference in LVEF and LVFS between the two groups. FT3 was correlated with WI, W2, NA,(lst-2nd×HR), pulse pressure (PP) and heart rate (HR) in hyperthyroid patients. Several abnormal waves on WI curves were present in 19 hyperthyroid patients during mid-systole. It was concluded that WI technique may prove a real-time, noninvasive, sensitive and convenient tool for assessing the cardiac function and hemodynamic alterations in hyperthyroid patients.