Observation on clinical efficacy of acupuncture therapy for posterior circulation ischemia vertigo

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for posterior circulation ischemia vertigo (PCIV). Methods: A total of 71 PCIV cases were randomly allocated into an acupuncture group (37 cases) and a medication (oral Flunarizine Hydrochloride) group (34 cases). After 6 weeks of treatment, the therapeutic efficacies in the two groups were analyzed. Results: After treatment, the mean blood flow velocities (VM) of both the vertebral artery (VA) and the basilar artery (BA) in acupuncture group were significantly increased, showing statistical differences when compared with the pre-treatment result of the same group (P<0.05); despite some decrease in pulsatility index (PI) after treatment, there was no statistical difference when compared with the pre-treatment result. After treatment, the mean blood flow velocities of both VA and BA in the medication group were increased, showing statistical differences when compared with the pre-treatment result of the same group (P<0.05); there was no statistical difference in PI before and after the treatment (P>0.05). Regarding the improvement of VM, the acupuncture group was superior to the medication group, showing a statistical difference (P<0.05); there was no statistical difference in PI improvement between the two groups. Considering from the clinical efficacy, both acupuncture and medication are effective. However, acupuncture obtained a significantly better effect than medication (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture therapy can obtain a better effect than oral Flunarizine Hydrochloride for posterior circulation ischemia vertigo. © 2012 Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.