Objective To observe the effect of needle-pricking bleeding combined with pulling-rotating manipulation and simple manipulation on blood rheology in vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis(VATCS) patients

so as to analyze their mechanisms in relieving VATCS.Methods A total of 198 VATCS patients were randomly divided into treatment group(n=101) which was treated with needle-pricking plus pulling-rotating manipulation

and control group(n=97) which was treated with simple pulling-rotating manipulation

according to the random number table.The treatment was given once every 7 days

9 times altogether.The peak systolic blood flow velocity(Vpeak)

end-diastolic blood velocity(Vmin)

pulsatility index(PI) and resistent index(RI) of bilateral vertebral arteries(VA) and basilar artery(BA) were detected by transcranial doppler sonography(TCD).Whole blood apparent viscosity and the plasma viscosity in the treatment group were determined by using a blood viscosimeter.Results Of the 101 and 97 VATCS cases in the treatment and control groups

62(61.38%) and 12(12.37%) were cured basically

23(22.77%) and 26(26.80%) experienced marked improvement

14(13.86%) and 41(42.27%) were improved

2(1.98%) and 18(18.55%) failed in the treatment

with the total effective rates being 98.01% and 81.44% separately.The effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of control group(P<0.05).Compared with pre-treatment

Vpeak and Vmin of the bilateral VA and BA in the treatment group

and Vpeak of the right VA in the control group increased significantly(P<0.01

P<0.05)

PI and RI of the bilateral VA and BA in the treatment group

and PI and RI of the right VA in the control group decreased significantly(P<0.01

P<0.05)

suggesting a marked reduction of the vascular resistance and an apparent increase of the cerebral blood supply after the treatment.The therapeutic effects of the above-mentioned indexes of treatment group were significantly superior to those of the control group(P<0.05).In comparison with pre-treatment

the whole blood apparent viscosity(high

medium and low shear rates) and plasma viscosity of the treatment group post-treatment were obviously reduced(P<0.01

P<0.05).Conclusion Needle-pricking therapy combined with pulling-rotating manipulation can significantly improve VATCS patients' clinical symptoms

which may be closely related to its effects in lowering vascular blood resistance and blood viscosity and increasing cerebral blood supply.