title: The effect of acupuncture on plasma endothelin content in cerebral infarction patients--a clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture on content of plasma endothelin in cerebral infarction patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The plasma endothelin content in cerebral infarction patients was observed before and after acupuncture, which was compared with that of the medication group and the healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment, the content of plasma endothelin in cerebral infarction patients was significantly higher than that of the healthy subjects (P<0.01); after acupuncture treatment, the content greatly decreased (P<0.01), and there was a statistically significant difference between the acupuncture group and the medication group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture may decrease the content of plasma endothelin in the cerebral infarction patients, improve the vascular elasticity, and improve the cerebral circulation of blood.
authors.affiliation: First Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Baocun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Caixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Geli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Honglei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins