Effects of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment on swallowing function and hemorheology in patients with pseudobulbar palsy following stroke / 国际中医中药杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment on swallowing function and hemorheology in patients with pseudobulbar palsy following stroke. Methods One hundred thirty-one patients with laughing sickness after cerebral stroke from March 2010 to November 2013 were selected and divided into two group by random number table method:a treatment group (66 patients) and a control group (65 patients). The control group was treated with aspirin and rosuvastatin, while the treatment group was additional treated with acupuncture for benefiting vital energy and eliminating phlegm for 4 weeks. The swallowing function was evaluated by Kubota Water Swallow Test and the hemorheological measurements were performed. Results The total improvement rate of swallowing function in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (86.36% vs. 64.61%; χ2=8.391, P=0.004). After the treatment, the whole blood viscosities at high shear rate (4.96 ± 0.53 mPa?s vs. 5.32 ± 0.63 mPa?s;t=3.541, P=0.001) and low shear rate (23.23 ± 0.94 mPa?s vs. 23.81 ± 1.01 mPa?s;t=3.403, P=0.001), and the plasma viscosity (1.52 ± 0.24 mPa?s vs. 1.61 ± 0.28 mPa?s;t=1.976, P=0.050) in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with conventional treatment can improve the swallowing function and the hemorheological parameters in patients with pseudobulbar palsy following stroke.