[Effects of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathies].
OBJECTIVE
To observe therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and explore the mechanism.


METHODS
Sixty-eight cases of DPN were treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5) etc. and their blood sugar, blood lipids and hemorrheologic indexes and nerve conductive velocity before and after treatment were determined.


RESULTS
After treatment, 43 cases were markedly effective, 20 cases were effective and 5 cases were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 92.6%; the nerve conductive velocity, plasma insulin, C-peptide, opioid peptides increased significantly (P<0.01) and blood viscosity significantly decreased (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on DPN and the increase of nerve conductive velocity is possibly related with the increase of plasma opioid peptides.
Wang
Yu-ping
YP
PLA 404 Hospital, Shandong Weihai, China. wangyupingshiyisheng@21cn.com
Ji
Lei
L
Li
Jun-ti
JT
Pu
Jian-qin
JQ
Liu
Fang-jun
FJ
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids