A clinical study of acupuncture and swallowing training for treating dysphagic stroke patients / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the effect of acupuncture and swallowing training on dysphagia in recove-ring stroke patients. Methods One hundred and thirty-two subacute stroke inpatients,73 males and 59 females,with a mean age of(67.9±9.0)years,26 cerebral hemorrhage patients and 106 cerebral infarct patients,participa-ted in the study.The patients were divided into a swallowing training group(ST,n=53)treated with thermal-tactile stimulation,deglutition exercises and food swallowing training;an acupuncture group(AP,n=48) treated with acu-puncture at the Fengchi(GB20),Lianquan(RN23),Bailao(EX-HN15),Jinjing(EX-HN12) and Yuye (EX-HN13)acupoints;and a control group(CG,n=31).The interventions were administered once a day,6 times a week.Before and after treatment,the patients were evaluated with a water-swallowing test and the"Any Two"test,and the arterial oxygen saturation(SpO_2) was monitored by pulse oximetry. Results The ST and AP groups showed significant improvement in water-swallowing and on the"Any Two"test after the treatment regimen,and were significantly better than the control group.There was no significant difference between the ST and AP groups.The average decrease in SpO_2 during water-swallowing was under 2%.After treatment,the baseline SpO_2 and post-water-swallowing SpO_2 of the ST group were significantly higher than those of the control group.The post-water-swallowing SpO_2 of the AP group was also significantly higher than that of the control group. Conclusions Acupuncture and swallowing training have similar effects in treating dysphagic stroke patients.Swallowing function and misaspiration cannot be predicted based on decreases in SpO_2.