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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Dec 18:2021:5433742.
doi: 10.1155/2021/5433742. eCollection 2021.

Changes of Endothelin-1 and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Concentrations in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy after Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Hot Compression with Chinese Herbal Medicine

Wei Li  1 , Chi Yao  2 , Yanghong Zhou  1 , Sishi Chen  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Changes of Endothelin-1 and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Concentrations in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy after Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Hot Compression with Chinese Herbal Medicine

Wei Li et al. Genet Res (Camb). .

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture-moxibustion and hot compression with Chinese herbal medicine on pain symptoms, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentrations of patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR).

Methods: A total of 82 patients with CR were randomly divided into the study group and control group, with 41 cases in each group. The control group was treated with standard treatment. In addition to standard treatment, the study group was additionally treated with wrist-ankle acupuncture-moxibustion and hot compression with Chinese herbal medicine. The ET-1 and CGRP concentrations in the plasma were measured by the radioimmunoassay method.

Results: The total response rate in the study group and the control group was 97.55% and 82.93%, respectively. The study group showed lower scores of the visual analogue scale (VAS), Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), numbness intensity assessment, and neck disability index (NDI) but higher scores of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire than the control group after treatment. Besides, the study group exhibited reduced ET-1 and substance P (SP) concentrations concomitant with increased CGRP and β-endorphin (β-EP) concentrations compared with the control group.

Conclusion: Wrist-ankle acupuncture-moxibustion and hot compression with Chinese herbal medicine could effectively alleviate the pain of CR patients, affect ET-1 and CGRP concentrations, promote the recovery of cervical function, and improve the quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The plasma levels of ET-1, CGRP, β-EP, and SP in CR patients in the study and control groups after and before treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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