title: Effect of ear-acupoint pressing and Ear Apex (HX6,7) bloodletting on haemorheology in chloasma patients with Gan depression pattern.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the therapeutical effect of ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex (HX6,7) bloodletting on haemorheology in chloasma patients with Gan (Liver) depression pattern.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 180 chloasma patients were randomly assigned to three groups, 60 cases in each. Patients in the earacupuncture (EA) group were treated with ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex (HX6,7) bloodletting; vitamins C and E were put into practice in the Western medicine (WM) group together with 0.025% tretinoin cream for local external application; patients in the placebo group were treated with urea-cream by external use, while 30 healthy volunteers were in the control group. After a treatment course of 2 months, the changes of haemorheology, injury skin area, colour score and symptom score before and after the treatment were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference on whole blood reduced viscosity (high shear, medium shear, and low shear), erythrocyte aggregation index, hematocrit, plasma viscosity among the four groups (F =2.65, P>0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the whole blood viscosity (high shear) and whole blood reduced viscosity (high shear) after treatment in the EA group, the WM group and the placebo group were with no statistical significance (P>0.05). The injury skin area and colour score after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment in the EA group and the WM group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in placebo group (P>0.05). Clinical symptoms of the EA group were obviously improved after the 2-month treatment, which was significantly different compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), there was significant difference compared with those of WM group and placebo group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference on haemorheology index between healthy people and chloasma patients without angionosis, cerebrovascular disease, hematopathy, metabolic disease or any other organic disease. Ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex (HX6,7) bloodletting can effectively improve concurrent symptoms, lighten chloasma and lower chloasma area in patients accompanied by Gan depression.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The First People's Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, 310006, China. roman.1@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: De-Jian
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D001815:Bloodletting; D004423:Ear; D005260:Female; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D008548:Melanosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012880:Skin Pigmentation
keywords: Gan depression; chloasma; ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex (HX6,7) bloodletting; haemorheology