ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and miuci therapy combined with Qinggan Tongqiao Decoction for sudden sensor-neural hearing loss (SSHL) and the effects on level of plasma endothelin (ET) and serum nitrate oxide (NO). Methods Totally 110 patients with SSHL were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 55 patients in each group. The control group was given Qinggan Tongqiao Decoction combined with acupuncture routine treatment, and treatment group was given miuci therapy on the basis of the control group, two weeks as a course of two groups. Level changes of plasma ET and serum NO, and pure tone listening threshold changes before and after treatment were observed. Tinnitus and hearing efficacy was evaluated. Results The total effective rate for tinnitus efficacy was 94.54% (52/55) in the treatment group and 85.45% (47/55) in the control group, with statistical significance (u=2.038, P=0.040). The total effective rate for hearing efficacy was 96.46%(53/55) in the treatment group and 81.82% (45/55) in the control group, with statistical significance (u=2.913, P=0.040). Compared with before treatment, the level of plasma ET decreased and the level of serum NO increased after the treatment (P<0.05); After the treatment, the level of plasma ET in the treatment was lower than the control group, and the level of serum NO in the treatment group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). Pure tone threshold scores in the two groups on treatment 3, 7, 14 d were significantly improved (P<0.05), and pure tone threshold scores in the treatment group were significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture and miuci therapy combined with Qinggan Tongqiao Decoction can significantly reduce clinical symptoms and enhance the hearing level of SSHL patients. The mechanism mainly lies in regulating levels of plasma ET and serum NO, and improving the inner ear micro-circulation.
ABSTRACT
This study was designed to determine the nitric oxide metabolism measured as circulating nitrate levels in the serum of alcoholic patients. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a significant role in the inflammatory process and has been implicated in several autoimmune disorders. This study was carried out prospectively to estimate the levels of nitrate in the serum, as a surrogate marker of NO production, among alcohol-dependent patients. Serum nitrate concentrations as an index of plasma NO levels were assessed in alcohol-dependent patients attending the deaddiction centre of a major hospital. Total sample size comprised 450 males. Age- and sex-matched non-alcoholic control population (n=90) was compared with alcoholics (n=360) of similar socioeconomic status. Serum nitrate concentration was assayed spectrophotometrically. Stable metabolites of nitrates were significantly higher in alcoholics compared with their nonalcoholic controls (p<0.05). The results may support the involvement of oxidative damage due to high NO concentration, and may be linked to its excitotoxicity and cytotoxicity in neurons, glia, and myelin. Generation of NO has been linked to an increased tendency towards tolerance to alcohol.