The Acupuncture Combined With Rehabilitation Therapy For Stroke Patients With Limb Spasticity

1. ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with rehab-ilitation therapy for stroke patients in terms of their motor function, limb spasticity, and neurological impairments.2.Methods and subject matterSixty stroke patients with limb spasticity were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group,30 cases in each group(n=30). The treatment group receive head and body acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy;and the control group administered with rehabilitation therapy only. The therapeutic effects were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer assessment, Ashworth scale for spasticity, neurological impairment scores and invalidity degrees. Improvements in the spasticity level, motor function and neurological impairments of the subjects in the treatment group and the control group were clinically compared.3.Results(1)In the Fugl-Meyer assessment, the mean scores of the treatment group before and after treatment were 28.97±3.71 and 55.67±5.40 respectively, the differentials were 26.70±5.75. And the mean scores of the control group before and after treatment was 29.19±3.27 and 51.97±3.17 respectively, the differentials were 22.87±4.74. By the statistics t test, there were no statistical significance between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05); But there were statistical significance between the difference value of two groups and after treatment (P<0.01). The treatment group was better than those of the control group. (2) In the neurological impairment scores and invalidity degrees, the mean scores of the treatment group before and after treatment were 17.63±3.20 and 7.77±3.84 respectively, the differentials were 9.87±4.66. And the mean scores of the control group before and after treatment was 16.57±4.13 and 10.17±3.17 respectively, the differentials were 6.40±4.17. By the statistics t test, there were no statistical significance between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05); But there were statistical significance between the difference value of the two groups and after treatment (P<0.05); (P<0.01). The treatment group was better the control group.(3)In the Ashworth muscle tension scale, the rating of patients in the treatment group before treatment was:level 0:0;Ⅰ:3; I+:5; II:8;Ⅲ:11; IV:3. After treatment was:level 0:3;Ⅰ:9;Ⅰ+:9; II:6;Ⅲ:2; IV:1. The rating of patients in the control group before treatment was:level 0:0;Ⅰ:3; I+:4;II:10;Ⅲ:10; IV:3. After treatment was:level 0:1;Ⅰ:7; I+:10; II:6;Ⅲ:4; IV:2. By the statistics Ridit analysis, compared the muscle tension of the treatment group and control group before and after treatment(P<0.01), there was statistical significance. But this experience could not indicated that the treatment group could relieve muscle spasticity more effectively than the control group.(4)In the clinical effect assessment, the number of the patients of the treatment group who nearly healed was 1; much improved was 19; improved was 8;no changed was 2. And the number of the patients of the control group who nearly healed was 0; much improved was 11; improved was 11;no changed was 8. The total effective rate of the treatment group was 93.3%and the control group was 73.3%. By the statistics chi-square test, compared the clinical effect of both groups, (P<0.05), the result was statistical significance, and showed that the treatment group was more superior.4. ConclusionsThe acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy provides an effective alternative for stroke patients with limb spasticity, improving their motor function and reducing spasticity as well as effectively reducing the degree of neurological impairments, which is contributive to better quality of life.