Post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome treated with floating-needle therapy combined with rehabilitation training: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical efficacy in the treatment of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome between floating-needle therapy and conventional acupuncture on the basis of rehabilitation training.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred cases of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome were randomized into a floating-needle group and an acupuncture group, 50 cases in each one. The passive and positive rehabilitation training was adopted in the two groups. Additionally, in the floating-needle group, the floating-needle therapy was used. The needle was inserted at the site 5 to 10 cm away from myofasical trigger point (MTrP), manipulated and scattered subcutaneously, for 2 min continuously. In the acupuncture group, the conventional acupuncture was applied at Jianqian (EX-UE), Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), etc. The treatment was given once every two days, 3 times a week, and 14 days of treatment were required. The shoulder hand syndrome scale (SHSS), the short form McGill pain scale (SF-MPQ) and the modified Fugl-Meyer motor function scale (FMA) were used to evaluate the damage severity, pain and motor function of the upper limbs before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SHSS score, SF-MPQ score and FMA score were improved significantly after treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.01), and the improvements in the floating-needle group were superior to those in the acupuncture group (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 94.0% (47/50) in the floating-needle group, which was better than 90.0% (45/50) in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The floating-needle therapy combined with rehabilitation training achieves a satisfactory efficacy on post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome, which is better than the combined therapy of conventional acupuncture and rehabilitation training.</p>

Comprehensive therapeutic protocol of electroacupuncture combined with Chinese herbs and rehabilitation training for treatment of cerebral infarction: a multi-center randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the therapeutic effect of comprehensive therapeutic protocol of electroacupuncture combined with active-blood-and-dissolve-stasis herbs and rehabilitation training for cerebral infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A multi-center randomized controlled trial was done, three hundred and twenty cases were divided into four groups: electroacupuncture combined with active-blood and dissolve-stasis herbs and rehabilitation training group (group A), electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation training group (group B), herbs combined with rehabilitation training group (group C) and rehabilitation training group (group D), 80 cases in each group. The following two groups of acupoints were used alternatively in electroacupuncture treatment: the first group including Vasomotor Area, Jianyu (LI 15), Biguan (ST 31), Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3); the second group including Motor Area, Quchi (LI 11), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Shenshu (BL 23). 20 mL Xiangdan injection and 250 mL 5% glucose injection or 250 mL 0.9% sodium chloride injection were used by intravenous drip in herbs treatment once a day. The rehabilitation training was performed by the professional physical therapist. Each group was treated with corresponding treatment protocol. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by index of the mortality or disability rate 3 months after the onset of disease. The intention to treat analysis (ITT) was used in data.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mortality or handicap rate 3 months after the onset of disease of four groups were 17.5% (14/80) in group A, 22.5% (18/80) in group B, 40. 0% (32/80) in group C, and 31.3% (25/80) in group D, respectively. The group A has a best therapeutic effect (vs group C, group D, both P<0.05), and there was no adverse event.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined application of electroacupuncture, active-blood and dissolve-stasis herbs and rehabilitation training is a better treatment for cerebral infarction in clinic.</p>

Effects of electro-acupuncture on electroencephalography in patients with vascular dementia / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on electroencephalography (EEG) in vascular dementia (VD) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the Hasegawa dementia scale (HDS), the severity of 46 VD patients were classified into three grades as gentle, medium and severe, in the same time, they were divided into the EA group (n = 23) and the nimotop group (n = 23) randomly. Changes of EEG in the patients were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The degree of normality of EEG in VD patients were positively correlated with the severity of their illness, i. e. the severer VD, the more obvious the abnormal EEG changes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EEG can be accessible for evaluating the severity of VD, and the electrical activity of brain in VD patients could be improved by EA therapy.</p>