Clinical Research
Effects of acupuncture intervention on omalgia incidence rate of ischemic stroke in acute stage

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1003-5257(14)60037-4Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

To explore whether acupuncture intervention can reduce the concurrent omalgia of ischemic stroke patients and initially explore the feasibility of follow-up research on long-term acupuncture.

Methods

Three hundred patients who conformed to the research criteria and voluntarily took part in the research were randomized into an acupuncture group and a regular therapy group with envelope method. The 150 cases in the acupuncture group received the combined treatment of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion based on regular treatments for a total of 4 weeks. The 150 cases in the regular therapy group received regular treatments. The omalgia incidence number were observed at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 months follow-up, simplified Fugl-Meyer of the upper-extremity was evaluated 4 weeks after treatment, modified Rankin Scale was conducted to assess the number of relatively independent patients and the patients acceptance for acupuncture therapy at 6 months follow-up.

Results

After 4 weeks of treatments, although the comparative deviations of the omalgia incidence number and the simplified Fugl-Meyer in the two groups had no statistical significance (P»0.05), the omalgia incidence numbers in the acupuncture group at 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 12th month follow-ups were different significantly compared with those in the regular therapy group (P<0.05); meanwhile, at 6 months follow-up, the relatively independent number of the patients assessed by modified Rankin Scale in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the regular therapy group (P<0.05). The number of patients who adhered to the acupuncture rehab therapy in the acupuncture group was greater than that in the regular therapy group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Acupuncture intervention during the acute stage of ischemic stroke can not only effectively reduce the incidence of omalgia complication, but also play an assisting role in improving the patients' ability of independent living; meanwhile, the systematic visits and treatments of acupuncture may feature assisting significance in the construction of the special disease and special skills of the acupuncturology.

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      2015, World Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion

    Supported by Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Science & Technology (2010 support plan)

    Research field: clinical acupuncture and evidence-based medicine.

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