Clinical observation of body acupuncture combined with FANG’s scalp acupuncture for limb dysfunction in the remission stage of stroke

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of body acupuncture combined with FANG’s scalp acupuncture in treating limb dysfunction in the remission stage of stroke and explore the mechanism.Methods:Sixty patients in the remission stage of stroke with limb dysfunction were divided into a control group and a treatment group using the random number table method,with 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with ordinary acupuncture based on the conventional rehabilitation treatment,and the treatment group was additionally offered FANG’s scalp acupuncture.The interventions were conducted once daily with 10 sessions as 1 course.The Fugl-Meyer assessment(FMA)and Barthel index(BI)scores and serum malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels were compared after 2 treatment courses,and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:After treatment,the FMA and BI scores increased in both groups(P<0.05)and were higher in the treatment group than in the control group(P<0.05).Both groups showed a decreased MDA level and an increased SOD level after the intervention,all showing statistical significance(P<0.05);there were significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05).Conclusion:Based on the conventional rehabilitation treatment,ordinary acupuncture used alone or in combination with FANG’s scalp acupuncture can lower the oxidative stress level and improve limb function in treating limb dysfunction in the remission stage of stroke;body acupuncture plus FANG’s scalp acupuncture can produce better results.

Clinical Study on Acupuncture Treating Thalamic Pain

Objective： To evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture in managing thalamic pain syndrome. Methods： Eighty patients with thalamic pain syndrome were randomly allocated into two groups, with 40 cases in the treatment group receiving combined scalp and body acupuncture treatment and 40 cases in the control group receiving single body acupuncture treatment. The intervention was given for 28 d in total, and the effects were evaluated after 14-day and 28-day treatments. Results： The inner-group comparison of McGill Pain Questionnaire （MPQ） showed significant differences after the treatment d 14 in both of the two groups （P〈0.05）, and after the treatment d 28, the differences were even more significant （P〈0.01）. After 28-day treatment, compared with pre-treatment, the Transcranial Doppler （TCD） test detected significant changes in the two groups （P〈0.05）. The total effective rate was 72.5% in the treatment group versus 47.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant （P〈0.05）. The 3-month follow-up study found the relapse rate was 0 in the treatment group and 15.8% in the control group, and the difference was significant （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Acupuncture is effective in treating thalamic pain syndrome and combined scalp and body acupuncture can achieve even better results.

Clinical observation on acupuncture plus motor therapy for postapoplectic spastic hemiplegia

Objective： To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus motor therapy for postapoplectic spastic hemiplegia and provide reference for rehabilitation care of patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke. Methods： A total of 87 cases with postapoplectic spastic hemiplegia were randomly allocated into a treatment group and a control group. Patients in both groups received basic treatments to control blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fat and improve circulation. The 43 cases in the treatment group received acupuncture combined with motor therapy, whereas the 44 cases in the control group received motor therapy alone（same as the treatment group）. The treatment was conducted once a day, for a total of 3 sessions. One session consisted of 10 times and there was a 1-day interval between two sessions. Then the changes in modified Ashworth scale（MAS） score and Fugl-Meyer assessment scale（FMA） score and clinical efficacy were observed. Results： After treatment, the MAS scores were significantly decreased in both groups, showing intra-group statistical differences（P〈0.01）. The MAS score in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference（P〈0.01）. The total effective rate was 69.8% in the treatment group, versus 45.5% in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference（P〈0.05）. After treatment, the FMA scores were significantly increased in both groups, showing intra-group statistical differences（P〈0.01）; and the FMA score in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference（P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Acupuncture combined with motor therapy is better than motor therapy alone in alleviating postapoplectic limb spasticity, improving the limb motor function and increasing the activities of daily living（ADL）.

Clinical observation of scalp acupuncture plus speech rehabilitation for Broca's aphasia after cerebral stroke

Objective：To explore the clinical efficacy of scalp acupuncture plus speech rehabilitation in treating Broca＆#39;s aphasia after cerebral stroke, for providing novel evidences for the treatment. Methods：Ninety-one eligible patients with Broca＆#39;s aphasia after cerebral stroke were randomized into an observation group and a control group. Forty-six cases in the observation group were intervened by scalp acupuncture plus speech rehabilitation, while 45 cases in the control group were treated by speech rehabilitation alone. The aphasia battery of Chinese （ABC） and Boston diagnostic aphasia examination （BDAE） were adopted to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Results：After the treatment, the scores of oral expression, reading and writing and global score in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group （allP〈0.05）. There was a significant difference in comparing the BDAE grading between the two groups after the treatment （P〈0.05）. After intervention, the basically-recovered plus markedly-effective rate was 45.7% in the observation group versus 24.4% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant （P〈0.05）. Conclusion：Scalp acupuncture plus speech rehabilitation is effective in treating Broca＆#39;s aphasia after cerebral stroke, and worth promoting.

Clinical Observation on Acupuncture for Post-stroke Ataxia

Objective： To observe the clinical effects of scalp acupuncture and body acupuncture on post-stroke ataxia. Methods： 124 cases of post-stroke ataxia were treated with scalp and body acupuncture to observe the changes of blood velocity in the blood vessels of the brain and the total effects after treatment, Results： The total effective rate was 93.5% based on the result of Berg Balance scale, and was 91.1% on the activities of daily living （ADL） index. The blood velocity of the vertebrobasilar artery was higher after the treatment compared to before treatment （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Acupuncture had good clinical effects.

Effect of acupuncture plus Tai Ji Quan on the recovery of neurological function and depression state in post-stroke depression patients

Objective：To observe the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture plus Tai Ji Quan （Tai Chi） in recovering the neurological function and treating depression state in post-stroke depression patients,together with a 12-month follow-up.Methods：A total of 105 eligible post-stroke depression patients were randomized into an acupuncture plus Tai Ji group （53 cases） and a control group （52 cases） based on their visiting sequence.The patients all received routine treatment and rehabilitation training for stroke.In addition,the control group was given oral administration of citalopram hydrobromide tablets,1 month as a course of treatment,for 3 courses in total.Meanwhile,the acupuncture plus Tai Ji group received acupuncture and practiced Tai Ji Quan,for 1 month and 12 months respectively.Before the intervention,after 1-month intervention and 12 months later,the National Institute of Health stroke scale （NIHSS）,Barthel index （BI） and Hamilton depression rating scale （HAMD） were adopted for efficacy evaluation.Results：Prior to the intervention,there were no significant differences in HAMD,NIHSS and BI scores between the two groups （all P〉0.05）;after 1-month intervention,there were significant between-group differences in NIHSS,BI and HAMD scores （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）;the 12-month follow-up revealed significant between-group differences in NIHSS,BI and HAMD scores （all P〈0.01）.In the treatment of stroke,the total effective rate was 84.4% in the acupuncture plus Tai Ji group,significantly higher than 68.9% in the control group （P〈0.05）;in the treatment of depression,the total effective rate was 86.7% in the acupuncture plus Tai Ji group,significantly higher than 77.8% in the control group （P〈0.05）.Conclusion：Acupuncture plus Tai Ji Quan can produce a significant efficacy in improving the limb motor function and depression in post-stroke depression patients.

Effect of Acupuncture plus Rehabilitation Training on Shoulder-hand Syndrome Due to Ischemic Stroke

Objective：To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture plus rehabilitation training in treating early-stage shoulder-hand syndrome due to ischemic stroke.Methods：Sixty patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group,30 in each.The observation group was intervened by acupuncture plus rehabilitation training,and the control group only received rehabilitation training.After 3 treatment courses,the scores of visual analogue scale （VAS） and Fugl-Meyer assessment scale （FMA）,and the clinical effect were compared between the two groups.Results：The two groups both obtained significant improvements in VAS and FMA scores after treatment （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）.After treatment,it showed marked differences in comparing VAS and FMA scores between the observation group and the control group （P〈0.05）.The total effective rate was 86.7% in the observation group,versus 63.3% in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant （P〈0.05）.Conclusion：The result of acupuncture plus rehabilitation training in treating early-stage shoulder-hand syndrome due to ischemic stroke is superior to rehabilitation training alone.

Fire-needle therapy for deglutition disorders in post-stroke pseudobulbar palsy:a randomized controlled trial

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of fire-needle therapy in treating deglutition disorders due to pseudobulbar palsy in the remission stage of stroke.Methods:Sixty-two eligible subjects were divided into a fire-needle group and a rehabilitation group by a simple randomization method at a ratio of 1:1.The two groups received same basic intervention;in addition,the fire-needle group received fire-needle treatment,while the rehabilitation group received rehabilitation training.The two groups of subjects all received a 3-week treatment and were evaluated by the dysphagia severity rating scale (DSRS),modified Mann assessment of swallow ability (MMASA) and Kubota Toshio swallow test (KTST) before and after the intervention.The complications and adverse events occurred during the trial were recorded.The data were statistically analyzed.Results:At the third week,the DSRS,MMASA and KTST scores changed significantly compared with the baseline in both groups (P<0.05),and the changes in the fire-needle group were more significant than those in the rehabilitation group (P<0.05).The between-group comparison at the third week showed that the therapeutic efficacy in the fire-needle group was superior to that in the rehabilitation group (P<0.05).Conclusion:Fire-needle therapy can obviously change the DSRS,MMASA and KTST scores in pseudobulbar palsy in the remission stage of stroke,and significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy of the treatment of deglutition disorders in this stage.

Clinical Observation on the Application of Scalp and Body Acupuncture in Treating Post-stroke Hiccups

Hiccups are a common complication following stroke,characterized by gastric air reflux,causing an involuntarily frequent short"hic"sound.We adopted scalp and body acupuncture to treat78cases of post-stroke hiccups during August2007and December2008,and compared it with traditional body acupuncture.The report is now given as follows.

Clinical study on Jin's three-needle therapy for post-stroke cognitive impairment

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Jin's three-needle therapy on post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI)and the effect on neuroelectrophysiology(event-related potentials).Methods:A total of 60 PSCI patients were selected and divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the method of random number table,with 30 cases in each group.The patients in the control group received routine treatment while the patients in the treatment group received additional Jin's three-needle therapy.The treatment for both groups lasted four weeks.Mini-mental state examination(MMSE)and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)scores as well as amplitude and latency of potential 300(P300)were adopted to compare the between-group results before and after treatment.Results:Before treatment,there were no significant differences(all P>0.05)in MMSE and MoCA scores,P300 latency and P300 amplitude between the two groups.After 4 weeks of treatment,the MMSE and MoCA scores and P300 amplitudes were improved in both groups,and the P300 latencies became shorter.The results showed significant intra-group and between-group differences(all P<0.05).Conclusion:Based on the routine treatment,Jin's three-needle therapy is effective for PSCI.The mechanism is probably through its regulation on the patients'neuroelectrophysiology.