title: [Effects of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathies].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: PLA 404 Hospital, Shandong Weihai, China. wangyupingshiyisheng@21cn.com
authors.forename: Yu-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jun-ti
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Fang-jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids