ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture plus electromyographic biofeedback therapy (EMGBFT) on the nerve function, activities of daily life (ADL), biochemical indexes, and lower-limb function in cerebral stroke patients. Method Totally 102 cerebral stroke patients in recovery stage were recruited and allocated to an observation group and a control group by using the random number table, 51 cases in each group. The two groups were both given conventional treatment, based on which, the control group was given EMGBFT, while the observation group was given acupuncture plus EMGBFT. The treatment duration was 8 weeks in both groups. The changes of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), ADL, endothelin 1 (ET-1), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of the lower-limb motor function were compared. Result The NIHSS scores dropped and ADL scores increased significantly in the two groups after the intervention (P<0.05);after the intervention, the NIHSS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group and the ADL score was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05);in the observation group, the plasma ET-1 level decreased significantly and CGRP level increased significantly after the intervention (P<0.05);after the treatment, the plasma ET-1 level in the observation group was lower than that in the control group and the CGRP level was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05);the FMA scores increased markedly in both groups after the intervention (P<0.05);the FMA score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group after the treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture plus EMGBFT can significantly improve the nerve function and ADL, promote the recovery of lower-limb function, down-regulate the ET-1 level, and up-regulate the CGRP level in cerebral stroke patients.