OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention on the disturbance of blood flow velocity in vertebral artery in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) treated with acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) so that the clinical evidences could be provided for the research of acupoint specificity.

METHODSOne hundred cases of VBI were tested with Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and 43 vessels of low velocity of blood flow and 79 vessels of high velocity of blood flow were discovered. Additionally, 50 cases of normal people were selected in control group, including totally 100 vertebral arteries. The velocity changes in systolic period (Vs) of vertebral artery were observed before and after acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3). RESULTS; After acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3), Vs of vertebral artery in low velocity cases was increased apparently. Vs in 5 to 10 min after acupuncture and half a hour after needle withdrawal was different significantly in statistics as compared with Vs before acupuncture (both P < 0.01). Vs of vertebral artery in high velocity cases was reduced apparently. Vs in 5 to 10 min after acupuncture and half a hour after needle withdrawal was different significantly in statistics as compared with Vs before acupuncture (both P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in statistics in comparison before and after acupuncture in control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) improves blood supply in vertebral artery in the mode of dual regulation and rectifies the disturbance of vertebral artery blood flow in dynamics.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) on the vertebral artery blood flow of patients with vertebro-basilar insufficiency (VBI) using color duplex sonography (CDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 21 patients with VBI (aged 31-76; mean 61.0 +/- 10.5 yrs). We administered a 50 mg oral dose of sildenafil citrate to all patients. Next, we measured the peak systolic velocity (Vmax), end diastolic velocity (Vmin), resistive index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), diameter, area, and flow volume (FV) of vertebral arteries using CDS before the administration of sildenafil citrate; 45 minutes after, and 75 minutes after administration. Statistical testing was performed using SPSS for windows version 11.0. The statistical test used to determine the outcome of the analysis was the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. RESULTS: Compared to the baseline values, the vertebral artery diameter, area, and FV increased significantly following the administration of sildenafil citrate. The diameter, area and FV increased from 3.39 mm at 45 minutes to 3.64 mm at 75 minutes, 9.43 cm2 to 10.80 cm2 at 45 minutes and 10.81 cm2 at 75 minutes, as well as from 0.07 L/min at baseline to 0.09 L/min at 45 minutes and unchanged at 75 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sildenafil citrate elicited a significant effect on vertebral artery diameter, area and FVs.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity/drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperazines/*pharmacology ; Pulsatile Flow/drug effects ; Purines/pharmacology ; Sulfones/*pharmacology ; *Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Vascular Resistance/drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents/*pharmacology ; Vertebral Artery/*drug effects/physiopathology/ultrasonography ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency/*physiopathology/ultrasonography