OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy between acupuncture at stellate ganglion combined with intravenous administration of alprostadil and simple intravenous administration of alprostadil on lower limb atherosclerosis of early diabetes mellitus.

METHODSSixty patients of lower limb atherosclerosis of early diabetes mellitus were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. Patients in the two groups were treated with basic treatment to control blood glucose and lipid. In addition, patients in the control group were treated with intravenous administration of alprostadil (10 µg) and sodium chloride solution (100 mL); based on this, patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at stellate ganglion. The treatment was given once a day; the consecutive treatment of two weeks constituted one session, and totally 4 sessions were given. The total syndrome score, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood flow of posterior tibial artery and dorsal artery of foot were observed before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared before treatment, the total syndrome score, HbA1c, blood flow of posterior tibial artery and dorsal artery of foot were significantly improved after treatment (all P < 0.05), which were more obvious in the observation group (all P < 0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the observation group, which was significantly superior to 86.7% (26/30) in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture at stellate ganglion combined with intravenous administration of alprostadil achieve better effect than simple intravenous administration of alprostadil for lower limb atherosclerosis of early diabetes mellitus, which improve the clinical symptoms, regulate blood sugar and increase the blood flow of lower limb.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stellate Ganglion ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of thread embedding at Back-Shu points in treating stroke-associated pneumonia.Method Seventy patients with stroke-associated pneumonia were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 35 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by regular medications, while the treatment group was additionally intervened by thread embedding at the Back-Shu points. Before and after the intervention, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil ratio (NE%), and symptoms and signs scores were observed, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The CRP, WBC, NE%, and symptoms and signs scores were significantly changed after intervention in both groups (P<0.05). After intervention, the CRP, WBC, NE%, and symptoms and signs scores in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 91.4% in the treatment group, versus 82.9% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Thread embedding at the Back-Shu points can promote the treatment of stroke-associated pneumonia.

[Ab]stract] Objective To investigate, according to core myodynamic theory, the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points in treating motor dysfunction in stroke patients during the flaccid paralysis stage.Methods Sixty stroke patients in the stage of flaccid paralysis were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The control group received basic treatment and conventional acupuncture and the treatment group, electroacupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points in addition. The simplified Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) score and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) score were counted before and after treatment and the clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the FMA score and the MBI score in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the FMA score and the MBI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 96.7% in the treatment group and 86.7% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points has a promoting effect on the rehabilitation of limb function in the flaccid paralysis stage of stroke.

Objective To compare the difference of the clinical efficacy on post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome treated by acupuncture at stellate ganglion and by conventional acupuncture. Methods Ninety cases of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome ( at stageⅠ or stageⅡ) were randomized into treatment group and control group, 45 cases in each group. Both groups received basic rehabilitation training. Additionally, the treatment group received acupuncture at the bilateral stellate ganglions of the neck, with reducing acupuncture by rotating the needles. The control group received the conventional acupuncture on Jiquan ( HT 1) , Chize ( LU 5) , Jianyu (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Hegu (LI 4), with reducing acupuncture by lifting and thrusting the needle on Jiquan ( HT 1) and Chize ( LU 5) , and with mild reinforcing and reducong acupuncture on the other acupoints. The treatment for both groups was given once every day, and 14 times in total. The total syndrome scores, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, modified Fugl-Meyer Assessment of motor function scale (FMA) scores, and modified Barthel index (MBI) were observed to evaluate the changes of symptoms, pain and motor function of the upper limbs, and activity of daily life before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was also compared between the two groups. Results The total syndrome scores, VAS scores, FMA scores and the modified Barthel index were improved apparently after treatment in the two groups (all P<0.01), and the improvement in the treatment group as more obvious (all P<0.01) . The total effective rate was 93.33% (42/45) in the treatment group, which was better than 73.33% (33/45) in the control group ( P<0.05) . During the treatment, patients of both groups had good compliance, and all completed the trial. No obvious adverse reaction was found in the two groups. Conclusion Acupuncture at stellate ganglion is effective and safe for the treatment of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome, and it has higher efficiency than the conventional acupuncture.

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy differences between catgut implantation at stellate ganglion combined with oral administration of alendronate sodium and oral administration of alendronate sodium alone on postmenopausal osteoporosis (PO).

METHODSSixty patients of PO were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. The patients in the control group were treated with oral administration of alendronate sodium. Based on the treatment of control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with catgut implantation at stellate ganglion. The treatment was given once a week in the two groups; the consecution treatment of four weeks constituted one session, and totally six sessions were given. The changes of total syndrome score, bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra (L to L) and femeral neck (FN) and estradiol were observed before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared before treatment, the total syndrome score, bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra (L to L) and FN and estradiol were significantly improved after treatment (all <0.05); which were more significant in the observation group (all <0.05). Compared before treatment, the level of estradiol in the control group was not significantly changed after treatment (>0.05), while that in the observation group was significantly changed after treatment (<0.05). After treatment, the level of estradiol in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than 83.3% (25/30) in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCatgut implantation at stellate ganglion combined with oral administration of alendronate sodium are superior to oral administration of alendronate sodium alone for postmenopausal osteoporosis, which improve the clinical symptoms, regulate the hormone level and increase bone mineral density.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Alendronate ; administration & dosage ; Bone Density ; Catgut ; Female ; Humans ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; therapy ; Stellate Ganglion

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy differences between moxibustion at Geshu (BL 17) and oral administration of cilostazol on diabetic limb arterial obliteration (DLAO) at early stage as well as the impacts on hemorheology and arterial inner dimension of lower extremity.

METHODSSeventy patients of DLAO at early stage were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 35 cases in each one. The two groups were treated with regular treatment of blood glucose and blood lipid. The patients in the control group was treated with oral administration of cilostazol, 50 mg, twice a day; the patients in the observation group were treated with moxibustion at Geshu (BL 17), once a day. The consecution treatment of two weeks constituted one session, and totally 4 sessions were given. The total syndrome score, hemorheology index (including low and high shear viscosity of blood, plasma viscosity, hematocrit and erythrocyte aggregation index) and arterial inner dimension of lower extremity (including popliteal artery, posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery) were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, the total syndrome score, hemorheology index and arterial inner dimension of lower extremity were significantly improved after treatment in the two groups (all<0.05). The total syndrome score, hemorheology index in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (all<0.05), but the improvement of arterial inner dimension of lower extremity was not significantly different between the two groups (>0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate was 91.4% (32/35) in the observation group, which was significantly superior to 85.7% (30/35) in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion at Geshu (BL 17) is superior to oral administration of cilostazol for DLAO at early stage, which could effectively improve the clinical symptoms, blood flow and blood vessel and increase the blood flow of lower limb.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Kinesio taping combined with warm needling on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its effect on serum levels of immune globulin(Ig)A, IgG, IgM. Methods: Sixty-two KOA patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into 2 groups by random number table (31 cases in each group). The control group was treated with routine thrapy. Based on the control group, the observation group was treated with Kinesio taping combined with warm needling. After 6 weeks treatment, scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate knee pain, Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) scale was used to evaluate knee function, and Lequesne index was used to evaluate disease severity. The score of TCM clinical symptoms was conducted according to the KOA symptom grading quantification table, and the quality of life was evaluated according to the Chinese version of the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36). The Immunoglobulin(Ig)A, IgG and IgM levels were detected by ELISA method. Results: The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.5%, and the control group was 71.0% (28/31). The difference was statistically significant between two groups (χ²=5.415, P=0.020).The total effective rate of clinical symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine in the observation groups as 90.3% (28/31) was higher than the control group as 64.5% (20/31), and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=5.905, P=0.015). After treatment, the serum level of IgA (2.91 ± 0.35 ng/ml vs. 4.50 ± 0.50 ng/ml, t=7.621), IgG (11.17 ± 1.31 pmol/L vs. 15.83 ± 1.94 pmol/L, t=13.523), IgM (3.14 ± 0.44 pmol/L vs. 5.44 ± 0.62 pmol/L, t=8.441) were significantly lower than control group (P<0.01). After 6 weeks’ treatment, tthe scores of VAS, Lequesne index, and clinical symptom of traditional Chinese medicin of the observation group were significant lower than those of the control group (t=7.765 and 9.903 respectively, all Ps<0.01), but the scores of JOA and the SF-36 were significantly higher than those of the control group (t=18.441, P<0.01). After 6 weeks’ treatment, the scores of pain in bed at night, morning stiffness, walking pain, pain from sitting up, maximum walking distance, daily activities, walking up stairs, walking down stairs, bending knee joint score in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (t=8.933, 9.112, 9.225, 8.809, 9.240, 8.910, 7.903, 8.033, 7.031, respectively, all Ps<0.01), but the scores of physical pain, physiological function, physiological function, vitality, social function, emotional function, mental health in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (t=12.450, 13.446, 13.779, 9.003, 13.331, 12.440, 15.309, all Ps<0.01). Conclusions The kinesio taping combined with warm needling can improve symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine and reduce pain of KOAand increase quality of life with the regulation of IgA, IgG, IgM.