title: [Randomized and controlled study on needling method of harmonizing spleen-stomach for early intervention of diabetic nephropathies and the mechanism of protecting kidney].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To probe into clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic nephropathies and the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using multi-central, randomized and blind methods, 130 cases of diabetic nephropathy were divided into an observation group and a control group, 65 cases in each group. They were treated by routine diabetic therapy, and in the observation group, acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Zhigou (TE 6), Hegu (LI 4), Xuehai (SP 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Fenglong (ST 40), Diji (SP 8), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taichong (LR 3), Tianshu (ST 25), Gaohuang (BL 43), Shenshu (BL 23), Zhongwan (CV 12), Zhongji (CV 3) were added with needling method of harmonizing spleen-stomach. While in the control group, acupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23), Taixi (KI 3), Sanyingjiao (SP 6), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Guanyuan (CV 4), Shousanli (LI 10), Waiguan (TE 5), Yangxi (LI 5), Liangqiu (ST 34), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Neiting (ST 44), Huaroumen (ST 24), Dachangshu (BL 25). The treatment was given twice a day in the two groups. Clinical therapeutic effects were assessed according to clinical symptoms and signs, blood sugar, blood lipids, urinary albumin excretion rate, urinary monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow, etc..
  
  
  RESULTS
  The needling method of harmonizing spleen-stomach not only could improve symptoms and signs of the patients, and also had benign regulative action on metabolism of blood sugar and lipids, and GFR, renal blood flow and urinary albumin level, with significant or very significant differences as compared with the control group ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The needling method of harmonizing spleen-stomach is an effective method for diabetic nephropathies, which can improve progressive renal lesion induced by abnormal metabolism of blood sugar and lipids, improve renal blood flow and GFR, decrease urinary albumin secretion, inhibit over expression of MCP-1, protect glomerulus and renal tubules, so as to improve renal function and delay renal lesion.
authors.affiliation: Section of Acupuncture, 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: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zho-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Xiu-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids