Multi-central clinical valuation of SHAO's "five needling methods" for treatment of asthma of deficiency of lung and spleen / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To make multi-central clinical valuation of SHAO's "five needling methods" for treatment of asthma of deficiency of lung and spleen.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and ten cases were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 105 cases in each group. The test group were treated with SHAO's "five needling methods", with Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14), Fengmen (BL 12) selected; the control group were treated with routine needling method, with Dingchuan (EX-B 1), Gaohuang (BL 43), Feishu (BL 13), Taiyuan (LU 9), Pishu (BL 20), etc. selected. The treatment in the two groups was given once each day, for 4 weeks, with one-day interval each 6-consecutive day.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fourteen cases were clinically cured, 42 cases were markedly effective, 32 cases were effective and 6 cases were ineffective in the test group with an effective rate of 93.6%; and 8, 30, 41 and 13 cases in the control group, respectively, with an effective rate of 85.9%, with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). After treatment, the symptoms and signs, pulmonary function in the test group were better than those in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SHAO's "five needling methods" has significant therapeutic effect for treatment of asthma of deficiency of lung and spleen, which is better than that of the routine needling method.</p>

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects in 40 pediatric patients / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficiency of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) with AGA-Amplatzer occlusion device in pediatric patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty patients with ASD, 16 males, 24 females, at a mean age of 10.2 years (ranged from 3 to 15 years of age) and with a mean weight of 35.8 kg (ranged from 11 to 87 kg) were studied. Six cases were complicated with pulmonary stenosis (PS), 1 was complicated with ventricular tachycardia (VT). Right heart catheterizations were done in 40 patients for measuring the pressures of right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The balloon diameter of ASD was measured using balloon catheter with guiding wire. The diameter of ASD was measured by TTE and/or TEE, ascertaining the location and size of ASD. Amplatzer occlusion device was sized to be equal to or 1 - 2 mm more than the diameter of balloon stretched.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients had successful implantation of the Amplatzer device. The success rate was 100%. The diameter measured by TTE was 7 - 30 mm (mean 17.12 mm). The diameter measured by TEE was 7 - 32 mm (mean 18.44 mm). The diameter of balloon stretched of ASD was 8 - 34 mm. Of the 40 cases, 6 were complicated with PS and accepted percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty (PBPV). One case was complicated with VT and accepted radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Neither complication nor residual shunt was found in any of the patients. The patients were recovered and followed up for 3 or 4 days after deployment of the Amplatzer device. Clinical symptom, cardiac murmur, and findings in ECG, echocardiography and X-ray were improved markedly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AGA-Amplatzer occlusion device is safe and efficient in pediatric patients with ASD.</p>