title: [Controlled study on the needling method for regulating the spleen and stomach for treatment of diabetic retinopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To probe clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic retinopathy and the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty cases of diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into an observed group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. On the basis of routine diabetic treatment, the observation group were treated with the acupoints for regulating the spleen and stomach, and the control group with the acupoints around eye mainly. Clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated by eye fundus condition, blood glucose, blood lipids, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The needling method for regulating the spleen and stomach not only can improve the eye fundus condition, but also has benign regulative action on metabolism of blood glucose and blood lipids, and NO and ET levels, with significant differences as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The needling method for regulating the spleen and stomach is an effective therapy for diabetic retinopathy, and the mechanism is possibly related with the regulation of levels of vascular active substances, NO and ET.
authors.affiliation: Section of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin Hospital of TCM, Tianjin 300140, China. zhangzilongtj@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zhi-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xue-Qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Song-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D016232:Endothelins; D008055:Lipids; D009569:Nitric Oxide