Effect of skull acupuncture and scalp acupuncture on serum vascular endothelial growth factor in the patient of acute cerebral infarction / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate effect of skull suture acupuncture (skull acupuncture) and scalp acupuncture on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the patient of acute cerebral infarction (CI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty cases of CI were treated with skull suture acupuncture at coronal suture, sagittal suture, lambdoid suture, etc. combined with medication (group B), group C (n=20) with scalp acupuncture at contralateral Dingnie Qian-xiexian (MS 6) and Dingnie Houxiexian (MS 7) plus medication, and group A (n=20) with medication. Changes of serum VEGF contents were investigated in the three groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the serum VEGF content did not significantly change in group A (P > 0.05), and significantly increased in group B and group C (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), with significant difference as group B and C compared with that of group A (P < 0.05), and with no significant difference between group B and group C (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Skull suture acupuncture combined with medication and scalp acupuncture plus medication have a similar effect on serum VEGF in the patient of acute cerebral infarction.</p>