title: [Impacts of Taichong (LR 3) on blood flow velocity in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the intervention on the disturbance of blood flow velocity in vertebral artery in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) treated with acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) so that the clinical evidences could be provided for the research of acupoint specificity.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred cases of VBI were tested with Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and 43 vessels of low velocity of blood flow and 79 vessels of high velocity of blood flow were discovered. Additionally, 50 cases of normal people were selected in control group, including totally 100 vertebral arteries. The velocity changes in systolic period (Vs) of vertebral artery were observed before and after acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3). RESULTS; After acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3), Vs of vertebral artery in low velocity cases was increased apparently. Vs in 5 to 10 min after acupuncture and half a hour after needle withdrawal was different significantly in statistics as compared with Vs before acupuncture (both P < 0.01). Vs of vertebral artery in high velocity cases was reduced apparently. Vs in 5 to 10 min after acupuncture and half a hour after needle withdrawal was different significantly in statistics as compared with Vs before acupuncture (both P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in statistics in comparison before and after acupuncture in control group (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) improves blood supply in vertebral artery in the mode of dual regulation and rectifies the disturbance of vertebral artery blood flow in dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Langfang Municipal Hospital of TCM, Langfang 065000, Hebei Province, China. L2189099@126.com
authors.forename: Guo-Ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng-Yun
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yong-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Run-Guo
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*