[Effect of Acupuncture Plus Moxibustion on Immune Function in Patients with Bra-chiocephalic Takayasu Arteritis]

Objective: To observe the influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on humoral immunity and cellular immunity related indexes in patients with bra-chiocephalic Takayasu arteritis (BCTA), so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in the treatment of Takayasu arteritis (TA).

Methods: A total of 31 BCTA patients (9 men and 22 women at age of 16-70 years) were treated by manual acupuncture stimulation of main acupoint Renying(ST 9)and auxillary acupoints as Jiquan (HT 1), Chize (LU 5), Fengchi (GB 20), bilateral Xinshu (BL15), Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17), Jingming (BL 1), etc. according to clinical symptoms, with the needles retained for 20 min. Additionally, moxibustion was applied to Taiyuan (LU 9), BL 15, BL 13 and BL 17. The treatment was conducted twice daily for 4 weeks. Serum IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, C_{3 ,} C₄ contents, and CD 3^＋， CD 4^＋， CD 8^＋ T lymphocytes contents were assayed by using immue turbidimetry and cell counting.

Results: Before the treatment and in these 31 BCTA patients, an abnormal increase was found in serum IgG content in 10 cases, IgM in 3 cases, IgE in 3 cases, C₃ in 11 cases, CD 4^＋ in 6 cases, and CD 8^＋ in 9 cases, and an abnormal decrease was found in serum CD 3^＋ level in 11 cases, CD 4^＋ in 7 cases, as well as CD 8^＋ in 4 cases. After the treatment, the increased levels of IgG, IgM, C_3, CD 4^＋ and CD 8^＋ in patients with abnormally higher values were considerably down-regulated (P<0.05), the decreased levels of CD 3^＋， CD 4^＋ and CD 8^＋ in patients with abnormally lower values were evidently up-regulated (P<0.05). No significant changes were found in IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, C₃ and C_4, CD 3^＋ and CD 8^＋ in patients with normal values of these indexes after the treatment (P>0.05). The CD 4^＋ level in patients with normal value was significantly deun-regulated after the treatment (P<0.05), but still in the range of normal value.

Conclusion: Acupuncture plus moxibustion can regulate some of the abnormally elevated and lowered humoral immunity and cellular immunity related indexes in BCTA patients, possibly having a favorable role in the treatment of BCTA.