A meta-analysis of the effect of nape acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in the treatment of dysphagia after stroke.

BACKGROUND: To systematically evaluate the general efficacy of nape acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training for the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia and in the recovery of swallowing function. METHODS: Three English databases (PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library) and three Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, CQVIP) were searched using the date range January 1, 2001-January 1, 2022. Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) of nape acupuncture combined with rehabilitation for the treatment of dysphagia after stroke with appropriate evaluation methods were included in the study. RESULTS: The results indicated that nape acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training led to higher clinical effectiveness (odds ratio (OR) =4.25 and 95% confidence interval (CI)=[2.94, 6.15]), higher videofluoroscopic swallowing study scores(VFSS) (weighted mean difference (WMD)=1.33; 95% CI=[1.09, 1.58]), and lower Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) scores (WMD = -2.57, 95% CI=[-3.51, -1.62]) in patients with post-stroke dysphagia compared with rehabilitation training alone. CONCLUSIONS: This Meta-analysis suggested that nape acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training is more effective in the treatment of dysphagia after stroke than rehabilitation alone.

Based on voxel-based morphological analysis to investigate the effect of acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy on hippocampal volume and its neuroprotective mechanism in patients with vascular cognitive impairment with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) has a decline in the ability of learning, memory, understanding and execution, which seriously interferes with the daily life of patients. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an important risk factor for VCI. In recent years, the pathogenesis and treatment of VCI with T2DM have become a research hotspot. Acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy plays an important role in the treatment of various functional disorders of cerebrovascular diseases. In the previous study of the research group, it has been proved from the perspective of imaging that acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy can improve the cognitive function of patients with ischemic stroke. Based on the previous research results, we speculate that acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy not only improves the function of cognitive-related brain regions, but also affects its structure, as well as serum biomarkers highly related to T2DM and cognitive function. METHODS/DESIGN: A partial randomized controlled trial will be conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, between July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023. A total of 80 subjects will participate in the trial, including 25 healthy volunteers, 25 T2DM patients with normal cognitive function and 30 VCI patients with T2DM. They will all have at least 1 functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Through the calculation and analysis of voxel-based morphological analysis indexes, the changes of hippocampal volume and function in the 3 groups are compared, so as to confirm the correlation between hippocampal structural and functional changes, between T2DM patients and healthy volunteers, as well as T2DM patients with normal cognitive and VCI patients with T2DM. Then the VCI patients with T2DM were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group was given routine drug treatment to control blood sugar and improve cognitive function, and the experimental group was treated with acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy on the basis of the control group. Patients in both groups will receive serum biomarkers (superoxide organic dismutase, maleic dialdehyde, brain-derived neurotrophic factor) detection and neuropsychological scale (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Webster Memory Scale IV Chinese version (adult version), functional independent measurement) evaluation before treatment, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment. The functional magnetic resonance imaging scan will be performed again after 12 weeks of treatment. To observe the effect of acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy on cognitive function of VCI patients with T2DM. DISCUSSION: This trial can clarify the effect of acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy on hippocampal volume and its intervention mechanism on oxidative stress injury in VCI patients with T2DM, and clarify the scientific connotation of its neuroprotective mechanism in the VCI patients with T2DM, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of acupuncture-rehabilitation therapy in the treatment of VCI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), ChiCTR2100047803. Registered 26 June, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=128707.

Study on optimization and evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation program for swallowing disorder after stroke.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has a long history in China and is currently widely used in clinical practice. However, there is no large sample data confirming the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating stroke and its sequelae. This article presents a study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial for evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture in treating post-stroke dysphagia. METHODS/DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial will be conducted in three hospitals in Heilongjiang, Changchun, and Beijing. A total of 252 patients with post-stroke swallowing ability will be randomly divided into two groups; specifically, the experimental group, which will receive acupuncture treatment, and the control group, which will undergo rehabilitation training for 2 weeks. The main results will be evaluated using the standard swallowing function scale, videofluoroscopic swallowing examination, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. The secondary observation indexes will include surface electromyography signal analysis and the modified Barthel index. Measurements will be obtained before treatment, as well as 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month after treatment. DISCUSSION: This trial could clarify the effectiveness of acupuncture in stroke; moreover, it will determine whether acupuncture can improve swallowing function. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), ChiCTR2000030994.

[The efficacy of intratympanic or combined steroids as the salvage treatment for moderate-to-severe to profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss].

Objective:The objective is to investigate and compare the efficacy of intratympanic methylprednisolone or combination therapy as the salvage treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss （ISSNHL）. Method:Ninety patients with moderate-to-severe to profound SSNHL which were unresponsive to the conventional treatment were recruited. Among these 90 patients, 45 patients underwent intratympanic methylprednisolone therapy （IMT） alone and 45 patients underwent systemic dexamethasone+IMT（systemic steroids+IMT）. IMT was performed every other day, with a total of four times. The pure-tone audiogram （PTA） before and after IMT or systemic steroids+IMT was conducted. And for those with tinnitus or anxiety, tinnitus handicap inventory（THI）, visual analog scale （VAS） as well as Hamilton anxiety rating scale （HAMA） were performed before and after the treatment. Result:The success rate was 31.1% with IMT and 51.1% with systemic steroids+IMT, and the difference was not significant between the two groups. The efficacy of patients with less than 30 days of onset was better than those with more than 30 days, and the difference was not significant, either. Both groups showed significant improvement in the scores of THI, VAS, and HAMA, but no significant difference was found between the two groups. Conclusion:Intratympanic methylprednisolone is recommended as the salvage treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe to profound SSNHL which showed little efficacy after the conventional treatment. Prompt medication improves the therapeutic efficacy.