The Influence Of Acupuncture And Moxibustion On Facial Nerve Function And Endothelin (ET) In Patients With Bell's Palsy (BP) Disease

Objective:This study is to observe and evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on Bell's palsy(BP) through intercomparing different intervention methods(acupuncture/acupuncture combined with suspending moxibustion/western medicine) related to endothelin(ET) and the improvement of facial nerve function.The present study would be to research the correlation between acupuncture and moxibustion therapy and ET,as well as correlation between BP and ET,which may provide some scientific references for acupuncture and moxibustion therapy.Method:Ninty consecutive patients were randomly divided into 3 groups by 1:1:1ratio:acupuncture(group A),acupuncture combined with suspending moxibustion(group B) and western medicine(group C).In group A,the disable acupoint BL2 subeutaneously towards BL1,GB14 subeutaneously towards EX-HN4,EX-HN5,SI18,ST7,ST4 subeutaneously towards ST6 were chosed;In group B,besides the same treatment measures as groupA,suspending moxibustion were performed in ST7,SJ17,SP3 and SI18 5 minutes per acupuncture point;Group A and group B retain the needle for 30 minutes after needing sensations;The patients in group C were taken prednisone,sodium salicylate and injected mnscul with VitB₁ and VitB₁₂.Compafing the value of endothelin(ET) in the patients plasma and the treatment effects according to House Brackmann scale before treatment,after treatment and the first stage treatment.Results:1)Before treatment one who has higher value of endothelin accounted for 93.33% percent of all in three groups.After the first stege and at the end of the level of endothelin(ET) has dropped more or less.Significantly(P＜0.05) different descent between before and after treatment.These,results suggest that the value of endothelin(ET) was closely related to curring and development of Bell's palsy(BP).2)After treatment the scores of House Brackmann improved significantly and the level of endothelin(ET) obviously declined in all each group comparing to the beginning of treatment(P＜0.05).To compare every two groups with each other after treatment(P＜0.05),the best effect is group A and the worst is group C.After treatment the result to the level of endothelin(ET) was significantly greater among groups(P＜0.05).It's level in group B(1.31±0.28) and group A(1.57±0.52) are both lower than group C(1.81±0.69).To compare every two groups with each other,there is significant difference between group B and the other two groups(P＜0.05),but there is no significant between group A and C(P＞0.05).The decreasing level of ET is significant after the first stege treatment among groups(P＜0.05) and group B(1.70±0.51) shows lowest satisfaction scores among groups.It's effect of reducing the level of endothelin(ET) was significant(P＜0.05) in comparing with the other two groups.But level of ET in group A(2.04±0.52) is similar to group C(2.08±0.64)(P＞0.05).Meanwhile,at this stege the difference among groups is not statistically significant(P＞0.05).3) The test for trend in all three groups confirmed that there was a significant positive correlation between House Brackmann facial nerve classificatory function(H-B) and facial nerve injury plane before and after treatment.4) Different symptoms and signs has no significant difference effect on therapeutic effect(P＞0.05).Different therapy significantly influence the effect(P＜0.05),which means method B has better effects than method A in curing BP observesed as wind-heat diagnosis, wind-cold diagnosis and wind -phlegm diagnosis.5) At every stage the test for trend confirmed that there was a significant positive correlation between level of ET and House Brackmann in all three groups(P＜0.05)Conclusion:1) Acupuncture combined with suspending moxibustion showed the significantly best effects on curing Bell's palsy(BP).2) Acupuncture combined with suspending moxibustion can reduce abnormal high value of ET at a fast and significant rate,which suggest adjustment of vascular endothelial cell's production function thereby improving the microcirculation of patients may be one mechanisms of this therapy to be superior one in curing Bell's palsy(BP).3) The more serious the symptoms is or the poorer the efficacy works,the hinger the the level of endothelin(ET) is,and vice versa.The level of endothelin(ET) can provide reference evidence clinical care on Bell's palsy(BP).4) Acupuncture combined with suspending moxibustion has better effects than acupuncture in curing BP observesed as wind-heat diagnosis,wind-cold diagnosis and wind -phlegm diagnosis.