The study of acupuncture for patients with vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis using TCD and BAEP / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture on patients with vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis by means of transcranial Doppler sonography ~TCD) and brainstem auditory evoked potentials ~BAEP), and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture in treatment of cervical spondylosis by means of blood velocity and neuroelectrophysiology measurements. Methods Forty patients with vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis were divided into acupuncture treatment group ~20 cases) and routine treatment group ~20 cases). The TCD and BAEP were examined before the rehabilitation treatment and 2 week later. Comparing with the control group, the effect of acupuncture on the blood velocity and cerebral electrophysiology was analyzed. Results ~1)The total efficiency rates in the two treatment groups were 90% and 85%, respectively. The clinical heal rate was 45% in acupuncture group and 35% in routine group. There was no statistic difference with regard to the therapeutic effect and the length of treatment between the two groups. ~2)The blood velocity of vertebrobasilar artery ~VBA) in the patient group was decreased. The abnormal rate of TCD was 77.5% ~31/40 cases), characterized with the decrease of VBA. The abnormal rate of BAEP was 75% ~30/40 cases), characterized with brainstem abnormality type. ~3)The blood velocity in both groups was increased after treatment. Compared with the routine therapy group, the velocity of blood flow in vertebral artery in acupuncture treatment group was increased markedly ~P