ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT ON CENTRAL RETINIT1S

Wang Yuanjue, He Yunyu, Zhang Li, Liu Ying Cai Aixiang, Chen Huiyun, Lu Renkang

(The Hospital of Wannan Medical College)

Since 1976, we have treated 116 patients with central retinitis by using acupuncture. 96 cases of them were cured, 18 cases of them with symptoms improved. The curative rate was 98.3%.

To investigate possible changes of sexual hormone levels before and after acupuncture, sexual hormone concentrations in blood plasma were determined in 10 male cases of 116 patients with central retinitis. The results were compared with those of sexual hormone levels of blood plasma in 43 normal healthy men.

Methods

1. acupoints and acupuncture techeniques

The points: Fengchi, Yiming, Hegu, Chengqi, Shangming were used with mild reinforcing manipulation.

When the patients with central retinitis belonged to the liver-heat type, the acupoints Taichong, Xingjian were added by using reinforcing manipulation. If the patients with central retinitis belonged to the deficiency of kidney type, the points Fuliu, Taixi were added by using reinforcing manipulation,

The patients were given acupuncture treatment once daily. 4 points were used for each treatment. 10 days were defined as a treatment course,

2. sexual hormone assays

Patients with central retinitis were taken blood samples from antebrachial vein between 8 A.M. to 10 A.M. prior to treatment and a week after treatment, respectively. Blood samples were centrifuged immediately. Plasma were kept frozen at -20°c until assayed.

Estradiol (Es) and testosterone (T) concentrations were determined by using special radioimmuassay techeniques.

Results

1. Before and after treatment, changes of sexual hormone concentration.

Before acupuncture, mean plasma T concentration in patients with central retinitis was 347.3+62.49ng/dl. Comparing with mean plasma T concentration in normal healthy men (720±61.9ng/dl), it was lower than the reference value (P<0.01). After acupuncture, mean T level of patients increased significantly (580+61.74ng/dl) (P<0.05). But, it's still lower than the reference value. Before acupuncture treatment, mean plasma ?3 concentrations in patients with central retinitis was 47.6±10.23pg/ml. It was slightly higher than mean plasma Ea concentration in normal healthy men (42.0±5.61pg/ml). After acupuncture, mean Ea level of patients decreased and was close to the reference value. But there was no statistical significance between mean Ea levels before and after acupuncture

Before acupuncture, mean E^/T ratio in patients with central retinitis was 18.25+6.74.

It was higher than mean E2/T ratio in normal healthy men (5.83+0.42) significantly. After acupuncture, Er/T ratio of patients decreased markedly. It was 8.13+1.61, but still slightly higher than the reference value.

2. Relationship between sexual hormone concentrations and sight of patients.

The sight of patients with retinitis was 0.57+0.122 before acupuncture treatment. A week after acupuncture treatment, the sight of the patients was 0.86+0.142. It was improved significantly (P<0.001). After acupuncture treatment, if mean T level raised, E^/T ratio decreased, the sight in these patients might improved. On the contrary, if the sight of patients recoveries less. Changes of mean Ea level after treatment seemed to be no correlation with sight change,

In conclusion, acupuncture treatment appeared to have a good control effect on sexual hormone levels of plasma in patients with retinitis. This control effect may have correlation with sight improvement of patients to a certain extent.