OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis between acupuncture at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) and oral administration of jingfukang granules.

METHODSThree hundred cases of cervical spondylosis were divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 150 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, according to the different types of cervical spondylosis, acupuncture was applied at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2), once a day. In the medication group, jingfukang granules were prescribed for oral administration, one bag each time, three times a day. The treatment of ten days made one session in the two groups and two sessions were required totally. Before and after two sessions of treatment, the clinical assessment scale for cervical spondylosis (CASCS) was adopted to evaluate the score of subjective symptoms, clinical physical signs and adaptability as well as the total score in the patients of the two groups and the efficacy was compared.

RESULTSThe patients' symptoms and physical signs were alleviated, the adaptability was improved and the score of each item and the total score were increased in the two groups after treatment (all P<0.01). The improvements in the acupuncture group were better than those in the medication group (all P<0.01). The curative and markedly effective rate was 90.7% (136/150) in the acupuncture group, better than 66.0% (99/150) in the medication group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) achieves the significant clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis. This therapy is superior to relieving symptoms and physical signs and recovering adaptability as compared with jingfukang granules.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spondylosis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDChronic stress contributes to increased risks of atherosclerotic diseases including heart disease, stroke, and transient ischemic attack. However, its underline mechanisms are poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism via which chronic stress exerts its effect on atherosclerosis (AS).

METHODSFifty male New Zealand white rabbits were used. Aortic balloon-injury model was applied. Both social stress and physical stress methods were adopted to establish chronic stress models. The lumen stenotic degree, intimal and medial areas, maximum fibrous cap thickness, and plaque contents were measured with histological sections. Proteomic methods were applied to detect protein changes in abdominal aortas to identify the specialized mediators. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used for further verification and investigation.

RESULTSThe stress rabbits exhibited lower body weight, worse fur state, more inactivity behavior, and higher serum cortisol level. Chronic stress was significantly associated with the decreased medial area and increased plaque instability, which was manifested by thinner fibrous caps, larger lipid cores, more macrophages, and new vessels but fewer smooth muscle cells and elastic fibers. After chronic stress, the apoptosis-related genes UBE2K, BAX, FAS, Caspase 3, Caspase 9, and P53 were upregulated, and BCL-2/BAX was down-regulated; the angiogenesis-related genes ANG and VEGF-A were also highly expressed in atherosclerotic arteries.

CONCLUSIONSRabbit models of chronic stress were successfully established by applying both social stress and physical stress for 8 weeks. Chronic stress can reduce AS tunica media and accelerate plaque instability by promoting apoptosis and neovascularization.

Carcinoma ; Humans ; Limbic Encephalitis ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery