title: [Sequential acupuncture method for treatment of apoplexy hemiplegia and its effects on plasma ET-1 and NO levels].
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of TCM, Changsha 410007, China. zyl813@yeah.net
authors.forename: Yan-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide