Effect of nape cluster acupuncture on swallowing function and respiratory function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of nape cluster acupuncture on swallowing function and respiratory function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia, and to explore its relationship to cerebral arterial flow and neurotrophic factors.@*METHODS@#A total of 120 patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 60 patients in each one. The conventional swallowing rehabilitation therapy and respiratory function training were adopted in the control group. On the basis of treatment in the control group, nape cluster acupuncture was applied at Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10), Wangu (GB 12), Lianquan (CV 23), Panglianquan (Extra), once a day; pricking blood was applied at Jinjin (EX-HN 12) and Yuye (EX-HN 13), once every 2 days. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. The therapeutic efficacy was compared between the two groups, and the swallowing function (scores of Kubota water swallowing test, standardized swallowing assessment [SSA] and video fluoroscopic swallowing study [VFSS]), the respiratory function indexes (forced vital capacity [FVC], maximal voluntary ventilation [MVV] and maximal expiratory time), the bilateral cerebral arterial hemodynamics parameters (systolic peak velocity [Vs], mean flow velocity [Vm] and vascular resistance index [RI]) and the serology indexes (brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], nerve growth factor [NGF] and insulin-like growth factors-1 [IGF-1]) before and after treatment were observed in the both groups.@*RESULTS@#The total effective rate was 80.0% (48/60) in the observation group, which was superior to 60.0% (36/60) in the control group (@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of the conventional rehabilitation training, nape cluster acupuncture can effectively improve the swallowing function and respiratory function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia, its mechanism may be related to the improvement of cerebral hemodynamics and the regulation of neurotrophic factors.