[Effect of Acupuncture on Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on inflammatory indices and symptoms in patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease, and investigate its mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease were randomly assigned to a control group (n＝37) given conventional treatment and an observation group (n＝42) given conventional treatment and acupuncture therapy. In the observation group, acupionts of Zhongji(CV 3), Guanyuan(CV 4), Zigong(EX-CA 1), Zusanli(ST 36), Sanyinjiao(SP 6), etc. were selected. Each group received treatment once daily, for a total of 7 days. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α， interleukin (IL)-10 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the serum, white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts, size of pelvic mass and depth of pelvic effusion, and clinical symptoms were assayed pretreatment and on days 3 and 7. RESULTS: WBC and neutrophils were significantly decreased after treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and more in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the size of pelvic mass and depth of effusion were less in both groups (P<0.05), and the efficacy in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, serum TNF-α， and CRP on day 3 and day 7 were significantly lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). Se-rum TNF-α and CRP were significantly down-regulated in the observation group compared with those in the control group on both day 3 and day 7 (P<0.05). In the observation group, serum IL-10 was higher on both day 3 and day 7 than that before treatment (P<0.05), and was statistically different from that in the control group on both days (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (95.24% vs 81.08%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can regulate the levels of inflammatory markers in patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease, and improve clinical symptoms.

[Efficacy observation on traumatic nerve injury treated with different acupuncture therapies].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference in the efficacy on traumatic nerve injury among electroacupuncture, warm needling therapy and electroacupuncture plus warm needling therapy and explore the better therapeutic method. METHODS: The electromyography (EMG) and electroneurography (ENG) of 93 cases showed traumatic nerve injury of moderate damage. According to the single blind randomization principle, they were divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group, a warm needling therapy (WN) group and an EA plus WN group, 31 cases in each one. The main acupoints were selected from Yangming Meridian and Shaoyang Meridian corresponding to the distribution of damaged nerves. EA, WN and EA plus WN were applied separately. The treatment was given once every day, 15 treatments made one session. After 3 sessions of treatment (45 treatments in total), EMG and ENG were re-checked and the results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Regarding the total effective rate and effective rate, it was 96. 8% (30/31) in the EA plus WN group, which was better than 74.2% (23/31) in the EA group and 77. 4% (24/31) in the WN group (P<0. 05). Concerning to the improvements of EMG, the result in the EA plus WN group was 96.8% (30/31), which was better than the other two groups [74. 2%(23/31),74. 2%(23/31)] (P<0. 05). In terms of the recovery of nerve conduction and amplitude, the results in EA plus WN group [(50.9+/-4. 6)m/s,(8. 8+/-2. 9),microVx1 000] were better than the other two groups [(43.7+/-3.1)m/s,(4. 2+/-1. 9)microV X 1 000,(43. 8+/-3. 3)m/s,(4. 5+/-2. 2)microV X 1 000] (P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: EA combined with WN is a better therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of traumatic nerve injury.