Clinical Study on Acupuncture plus Early-stage Rehabilitation Training for Acute Cerebral Infarction / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture plus early-stage rehabilitation training on the neurological function and levels of serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Method Sixty-eight patients with acute cerebral infarction were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 34 cases each. The control group was intervened by conventional medications, while the treatment group was intervened by acupuncture plus early-stage rehabilitation training in addition to the medications given to the control group. The two groups were both treated once a day, 10 d as a treatment course. Three treatment courses later, the changes of serum IMA and NSE levels were observed; the Modified Edinburgh-Scandinavian Stroke Scale (MESSS), Barthel Index (BI) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scores were compared before and after the treatment.Result The MESSS, BI and FMA scores were significantly changed in both groups after the intervention (P<0.01). After the intervention, the MESSS, BI and FMA scores in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum IMA and NSE levels were significantly changed in both groups after the intervention (P<0.01). After the treatment, the serum IMA and NSE levels in the treatment group were markedly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture medication combined plus early-stage rehabilitation training can promote the recovery of neurological function of acute cerebral infarction patients, which is related to the down-regulation of serum NSE and IMA levels.