title: [Effects of acupuncture under guidance of qi street theory on endocrine function in the patient of epilepsy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe effects of acupuncture under guidance of qi street theory on endocrine function in the patient of epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty cases of epilepsy were randomly divided into an acupuncture-medicine group and a medication group, 30 cases in each group. The medication group were treated with Valpromide, and the acupuncture-medicine group were treated with Valpromide and acupuncture at main points Renying (ST 9), Fengfu (GV 16), Tianzhu (BL 10). Epilepsy scores and plasma total cortisol (CORT), estradiol (E2), pregnendione (P), and prolactin (PRL) levels before and after treatment were observed. Results The total effective rates were 96.7% in the two groups with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05); the epilepsy score before treatment was (13.58+/-4.01) points and after treatment was (8.30+/-4.52) points in the acupuncture-medicine group, and (12.97+/-3.91) points and (7.86+/-4.90) points in the medication group, respectively, with significant improvement after treatment in the score in the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, plasma CORT, E2, P and PRL levels in the acupuncture-medicine group and plasma CORT, E2, P levels in the medication group had significant changes (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups in CORT level after treatment (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture under guidance of qi street theory is an effective method for improving endocrine function in the patient of epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Section of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of TCM, Guangdong Guangzhou 510405, China. dr_xinghua@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xing-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hai-tou
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019413:Qi