[Effect of ZHU Lian's type â ¡ inhibition acupuncture on chronic migraine and serum 5-HT, VEGF, CGRP].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of ZHU Lian's type Ⅱ inhibition acupuncture for chronic migraine, and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: A total of 120 patients with chronic migraine were randomized into an observation group (60 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (60 cases, 2 cases dropped off). In the control group, flunarizine hydrochloride capsule was taken orally, 5 mg each time, once a day. In the observation group, ZHU Lian's typeⅡ inhibition acupuncture was applied at Erheliao (TE 22), Shousanli (LI 10), Hegu (LI 4), Yangbai (GB 14), Tongziliao (GB 1), Zusanli (ST 36) ect., once every other day. The treatment was given 4 weeks in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the migraine clinical symptom score, cerebral hemodynamics indexes (blood flow velocity of arterior cerebral artery [ACA], posterior cerebral artery [PCA], bilateral middle cerebral artery [MCA] and basilar artery [BA]), serum related indexes (levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT], vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and calcitonin gene-related peptide [CGRP]) and migraine specific quality of life questionnaire (MSQ) score were observed in the two groups, and the clinical effect was evaluated. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.0% (53/57), which was higher than 79.3% (46/58) in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the number of headache attack was reduced, duration time was shortened, and the scores of pain intensity and concomitant symptom, cerebral hemodynamics indexes (blood flow velocity of ACA, PCA, MCA and BA) and serum levels of VEGF and CGRP were lower than before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum levels of 5-HT and MSQ scores of functional limitation, dysfunction and emotion were higher than before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: ZHU Lian's type Ⅱ inhibition acupuncture could reduce frequency of migraine attack and duration time, improve pain intensity, cerebral blood flow velocity and quality of life for patients with chronic migraine, its mechanism may be related to regulating serum levels of 5-HT, CGRP and VEGF.

[Electrophysiologial evaluation of ozone in treating of lumbar disc herniation with curving sheath-needle multi-direction rotating injection].

OBJECTIVE: To compare electrophysiological changes in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with ozone by curving sheath-needle multi-direction rotating injection (CSNMRI) and conventional injection method. METHODS: From May 2005 to June 2009,100 patients with LDH were studied, included 68 males and 32 females, ranging in age from 25 to 58 years with an average of 44 years, in course of disease from 3 months to 8 years with an average of 8.8 months. All patients were numbered according to sequence of visit, and were completely randomly divided into group A and group B with DPS software, 50 cases in each group. All patients were injected ozone into lesion of intervertebral disc, in group A with CSNMRI and in group B with conventional method. The electrophysiologic study of all patients was performed respectively before treatment and at the 3 month after treatment. The electromyogram (EMG) of the main muscle groups of involved lower limb and the corresponding segments of sacrospinal muscle was tested; the duration and multiphase-wave rate of MUP were calculated. H-reflex of tibial nerve in both lower limbs was observed and the number of abnormal H-reflex and the H-wave latency were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment, the number of muscles with abnormal EMG was reduced to different degrees in each group, but there was more significant reduction in group A (P < 0.05 or 0.01); the duration and multiphase-wave rate of MUP in the two groups were both reduced and close to the normal level (P < 0.01), yet the changes in group A was more than that of group B (P < 0.05 or 0.01). There was no significant difference in the number of abnormal H-reflex before treatment between two groups, whereas was markedly lower in group A than that of group B after treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, H-wave latency in two groups was shortened and become close to normal, but group B was more statistically significant than group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The neural electrophysiological abnormalities can reflect the degree of nerve root compression and damage, and is one of the objective indicators to estimate neuromuscular function. It can better meliorate abnormal electrophysiology to inject ozone to treat LDH with CSNMRI than conventional method.

[Clinical observation on electroacupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis at different stages].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the optimal opportunity of electroacupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis. METHODS: One hundred and twenty cases were randomly divided into group A and B, 60 cases in each group. The group A were treated by electroacupuncture and ultrashort-wave from the acute stage and the group B were treated by ultrashort-wave at the acute stage and ultrashort-wave plus electroacupuncture at the resting stage. RESULTS: The cured and markedly effective rate was 85.0% and the total effective rate was 98.3% in the group A, and 68.3% and 91.7% in the group B respectively (P < 0.05); there was no significant difference between the two groups in abnormal myoelectrogram before treatment and at the 8th day (P > 0.05); but at the 30th day the number of cases in whom BR wave turned to normal or mild abnormal in the group A were more than those in the group B (P < 0.05), and the shortening of the latent period of M wave and increase of the wave amplitude were significantly better than those in the group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at acute stage can significantly increase the cured and markedly effective rate, and the acute stage is the optimal opportunity for acupuncture treatment of peripheral facial paralysis.