[Sequential acupuncture method for treatment of apoplexy hemiplegia and its effects on plasma ET-1 and NO levels].

OBJECTIVE

To observe clinical therapeutic effect of sequential acupuncture method on apoplexy hemiplegia and to probe into the mechanism.

METHODS

One hundred and forty-four cases of apoplexy hemiplegia were randomly divided into a treatment group treated with sequential acupuncture method and a control group treated with traditional acupuncture, 72 cases in each group. After treatment for 3 months, their clinical therapeutic effects were observed and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were detected.

RESULTS

The treatment group in the improvement of the nerve function-deficiency, total life ability and clinical overall effect, and the course of recovery, decreasing of ET-1 level and increasing of NO level was superior to the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), the shorter the course, the better the therapeutic effect.

CONCLUSION

The sequential acupuncture method has an obvious therapeutic effect on apoplexy hemiplegia, and it can decrease plasma ET-1 level and increase NO level. It is an effective therapy for apoplexy hemiplegia.