Abstract
Purposes
The control of spasticity is often a significant problem in the management of patients
with stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture treatment
on the spastic states of stroke patients.
Setting
An outpatient Acupuncture Department in the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University
of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Participants
One hundred and thirty-one patients, mean (SD) age of 59 (12) years, with spastic
hemiplegia were included at mean (SD) month of 17 (7) months after stroke.
Intervention
Participants received two 30-day treatment regimens: combined stimulating surface
projection zone of decussation of pyramid and traditional acupuncture treatment, and
traditional acupuncture treatment only.
Main outcome measures
Differences in the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), Fugl–Meyer Assessment (FMA), Barthel
Index (BI), and the electromyographic activity of the affected extremity between arms.
Results
The average (±SD) upper extremity Ashworth score significantly decreased, from 3.08±0.77 before treatment to 1.82±0.65 after acupuncture intervention (wrist joint, P<0.05), and from 2.72±0.59 to 1.32±0.71 (elbow joint, P<0.05) for treatment group. There were significant differences noted between the treatment
group and control group after administration. Lower extremity treatment responses
were similar to upper extremity responses. However, both groups showed similar improvement
in FMA (upper extremity) and FMA (lower extremity). However, the improvements of FMA
(total), BI, and F/M ratio were better in treatment group than in control group.
Conclusions
These results suggested that acupuncturing surface projection zone of decussation
of pyramid was effective in reducing spastically increased muscle tone and motor neuron
excitability in spastic hemiplegia, and could improve spastic states of stroke patients,
thus providing a safe and economical method for treating stroke patients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 16,
2008
Received in revised form:
September 15,
2008
Received:
April 22,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
