title: [Impacts on the appetite regulating factors of infantile anorexia treated with acupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the dynamic change and clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) on appetite regulating factors in the serum of infantile anorexia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty cases, in compliance with the diagnostic criteria, aged from 3 to 6 years were randomized into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 40 cases in each one. Additionally, a healthy control group (30 cases) was set up. In the acupuncture group, the pricking method was adopted at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) with the three-edged needle. A few light yellow, transparent viscous liquid or blood was squeezed out after pricking. The treatment was given once a week, for 4 weeks totally. In the medication group, erkangning syrup was administered, 3 times a day, for 4 weeks totally. The ghrelin, leptin and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and the clinical efficacy were observed before and after treatment in each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of ghrelin and NPY before treatment in acupuncture group and the medication group were lower apparently than those in the healthy control group (all P < 0.01), but the level of leptin was higher appa-rently than that in the healthy control group (P < 0.01). After treatment, the levels of ghrelin and NPY were higher apparently than those before treatment in the acupuncture group (both P < 0.01), and the level of leptin was lower apparently than that before treatment (P < 0.01). All of the above indices in the acupuncture group were improved obviously after treatment as compared with those in the medication group (all P < 0.01). The remarkable and effective rate were 82.5% (33/40) and 32.5% (13/40) and the total effective rate were 95.0% (38/40) and 45.0% (18/40) in the acupuncture group and medication group separately, the results in the acupuncture group were superior to the medication group (both P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) effectively promotes the secretion of ghrelin and NPY and inhibit leptin. It effectively promotes appetite for the children and the efficacy is superior to erkangning syrup.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Experimental Room, Medical School of Jinhua Polytechnic, Jinhua 321017, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Guo-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiang-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bao-Xiang
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Li-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bing-Lun
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Su-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000855:Anorexia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001066:Appetite; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D020738:Leptin; D009478:Neuropeptide Y