Resuscitating acupuncture therapy for glucose metabolism in acute cerebral infarction of basal ganglia

BACKGROUND： Acupuncture can improve motor function in patients with cerebral infarction, and activate brain glucose metabolism in relevant brain areas. However, the association between encephalic region activation and acupuncture, as well as the clinical significance of activation remain unclear. OBJECTIVE： Through the use of positron emission tomography-computed tomography （PET-CT）, acute cerebral infarction patients were analyzed for global cerebral metabolism, cerebral infarction focus, peripheral edema, and pyramidal tract pathway changes, which were directly related to clinical symptoms. The influence of resuscitating acupuncture on cerebral glucose metabolism was analyzed in patients with acute cerebral infarction in basal ganglia. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTNG： Randomized, controlled, clinical trials were performed from March 2007 to October 2008 at the PET-CT Center of the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, China. PARTICIPANTS： Twelve patients with acute basal ganglia infarction were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Chinese Medicine Hospital, and Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Chinese People＇s Armed Police Force. METHODS： The cerebral infarcted patients were randomly assigned to acupuncture and control groups. In addition to routine treatment, the acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at the main acupoints for resuscitation [Neiguan （PC 6）, Renzhong （DU 26）, and Sanyinjiao （SP 6）], while the control group received routine treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Before and after treatment, patients with acute cerebral infarction were evaluated for global brain, cerebral infarction focus, and surrounding edema and glucose metabolism in encephalic region of pyramidal tract conduction by 18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose for PET-CT imaging. RESULTS： The resuscitating acupuncture therapy can significantly activate the metabolism of global brain, infarction center and surrounding edema in patients with cerebral infarction in basal ganglia, also has effects on the activation of glucose metabolism in the encephalic regions of pyramidal tract pathway （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Resuscitating acupuncture was superior to routine treatment for significantly activating glucose metabolism in patients with acute cerebral basal ganglia infarction.