title: [Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on blood vessels and the blood flow rate in patients with takayasu arteritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on takayasu arteritis of brachiocephalic artery type and the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one cases were treated by acupuncture and moxibustion at main acupoint Renying (ST 9) and adjuvant acupoints selected according to the symptoms. The therapeutic effect and changes of color Doppler's ultrasonic flow image (CDFI) of relevant arteries in patients before and after treatment were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical total effective rate was 90.3%. Of the 31 cases, 5 cases were clinically cured, 16 cases were markedly effective, 7 cases improved and 3 cases were ineffective; and it was showed that acupuncture and moxibustion could enlarge the inner diameter of the injured blood vessel, increase the volume of blood flow and the elastic index of the injured blood vessel, and improve the abnormal velocity and the abnormal crest form of blood flow.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture and moxibustion has a good therapeutic effect on takayasu arteritis of brachiocephalic artery type; acupuncture and moxibustion can improve the stenotic degree of the injured blood vessel and abnormal hemodynamics of blood flow in the limb and brain.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Combined Acupuncture and Medication, Nanjing University of TCM, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China. xgn66@163.com
authors.forename: Guang-xia
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Jing-xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Qi-fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Meng-kun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome