Bloodletting acupuncture at -well points along three- meridians of foot combined with acupuncture on migraine:a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the analgesic effect of bloodletting acupuncture at -well points along three- meridians of foot combined with routine acupuncture and simple routine acupuncture on migraine.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with migraine were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one, of which, 4 cases were dropped out in the observation group, 1 case was dropped out in the control group. In the observation group, bloodletting acupuncture at -well points combined with routine acupuncture were applied. The bloodletting acupuncture was applied at corresponding -well points of three- meridians of foot [Lidui (ST 45), Zhiyin (BL 67), Zuqiaoyin (GB 44)] according to pain location. And routine acupuncture was adopted at Sizhukong (TE 23), Shuaigu (GB 8), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Fengchi (GB 20), Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Zulinqi (GB 41), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Waiguan (TE 5). In the control group, routine acupuncture was applied, acupoint selection and operation were the same as the observation group. The treatment was given once a day, 30 min a time, 5 days as one course with 2 days interval, and 2 courses were required. Before treatment, immediately after needle withdrawal, 4 h after needle withdrawal and after 2 courses of treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was compared in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the migraine comprehensive score was observed in the two groups, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#Immediately after needle withdrawal, 4 h after needle withdrawal and after 2 courses of treatment, the VAS scores in the two groups were decreased (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Bloodletting acupuncture at -well points along three- meridians of foot combined with routine acupuncture and simple routine acupuncture have analgesic effect, and the combined therapy is superior to simple routine acupuncture.

Impacts on the curative effect of peripheral facial paralysis treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at different times / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the optimal intervention time of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and four cases of peripheral facial paralysis were collected in clinic for retrospective analysis. According to the time between the disease onset and the intervention of acupuncture and moxibustion, 3 groups (groups A, B and C) were divided. In group A, the treatment was given in 1 to 3 days after onset; in group B, the treatment was given in 4 to 7 days after onset; in group C the treatment was given in 8 to 10 days after onset. The treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion was applied according to the regular stages of disease in the three groups. At the acute stage, the less points and shallow puncture therapy combined with distal acupoints at the limbs were adopted on the affected side. At the stable stage, the more points and shallow puncture therapy were used on the affected side. At the recovery stage, the deep puncture or penetrating punctures was applied on the affected side. The curative effects was given once every day and the treatment of 10 days made one session. The curative effects were analyzed statistically at the end of three sessions of treatments separately.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of the 1st session of treatment, the total effective rate was 58.8% (40/68) in group A, 69.7% (53/76) in group B and 46.6% (28/60) in group C. At the end of the 2nd session of treatment, the total effective rate was 85.3% (58/68), 90.8% (69/76) and 71.6% (43/60) in group A, B and C separately. At the end of 3rd session of treatment, the total effective rates were 89.7% (61/68), 97.4% (74/76) and 83.3% (50/60) in the three groups separately. The differences were significant statistically at the same session of treatment among three groups (all P<0.05), in which, the results in group B was the best, followed by group A and C in sequence.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>the best intervention time of acupuncture and moxibustion is in 4 to 7 days after onset of facial paralysis.</p>

Effect of intracoronary adenovirus vector encoding hepatocyte growth factor gene on hematopoietic stem cells mobilization in patients with extensive coronary heart disease / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of intracoronary adenovirus vector encoding hepatocyte growth factor gene (Ad(5)-HGF) on hematopoietic stem cells mobilization in patients with extensive coronary heart disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with extensive coronary heart disease were treated with intracoronary infusion of adenovirus vector encoding hepatocyte growth factor (Ad(5)-HGF 5 x 10(9) pfu) gene plus stent implantation (n = 9) or equal physiological saline plus stent implantation (n = 9). Angioplasty and stent implantation was performed according to standard clinical practice by the femoral approach and blood samples were drawn from each patient at baseline before PCI, 6 to 24 hours and 6 days post procedure. The number of CD34(+), CD38(+) and CD117(+) cells in peripheral blood was analyzed by flow cytometer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of circulating CD34(+) cells in Ad(5)-HGF gene treatment group 6 hours after procedure and the number of circulating CD117(+) cells 6 days post procedure were significantly higher in Ad(5)-HGF gene treatment group than those in the control group (0.104 +/- 0.082 vs. 0.022 +/- 0.012, P = 0.021) and (0.058 +/- 0.058 vs. 0.012 +/- 0.009, P = 0.034), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Intracoronary administration of Ad(5)-HGF could mobilize hematopoietic stem cells into peripheral blood and the consequent role of this observation on myocardial regeneration warrants further detailed studies.</p>

Hepatocyte growth factor did not enhance the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation on cardiac repair in a porcine acute myocardial infarction model / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the impact of combined therapy with transplanting bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) via noninfarct-relative artery and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in a porcine myocardial infarction (MI) model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BM-MSCs were obtained from pig bone marrow, expanded in vitro with a purity of > 50%. MI was induced by ligating the distal left anterior descending artery in pigs. Eighteen animals received BM-MSCs cells (5 x 10(6)/ml, n = 6), BM-MSCs cells (5 x 10(6)/ml) plus HGF (4 x 10(9) pfu, n = 6) or equal volume culture medium (IMDM) via non-infarct-related artery at four weeks after MI. Gated myocardial perfusion imaging and coronary angiography were performed before and four weeks after transplantations. Histological examination was also performed 4 weeks after transplantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>LVEF measured by gated myocardial perfusion imaging was similar among groups before transplantation and significantly increased in BM-MSCs (45 +/- 3 vs. 34 +/- 2%, P < 0.05) or BM-MSCs + HGF (46 +/- 6 vs. 34 +/- 3%, P < 0.05) treated animals while remained unchanged in IMDM (30 +/- 3 vs. 32 +/- 2%) treated animals 4 weeks post transplantation. Similarly, capillary density was also significantly higher and myocardial perfusion defect scores significantly decreased in BM-MSCs or BM-MSCs + HGF treated hearts than that in IMDM treated hearts. However, all these changes were similar between BM-MSCs and BM-MSCs + HGF groups. Rentrop score was similar before and 4 weeks after transplantation among various groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HGF in combination with BM-MSCs transplantation did not enhance the cardiac repair effects of BM-MSCs transplantation alone and BM-MSCs transplantation did not improve collateral circulation in this model.</p>