Acupuncture is more effective than conventional therapy in improving functional activities in subacute stroke patients

Patients with ischemic stroke of subacute stage recovered better following combination of body acupuncture and scalp acupuncture treatment compared to conventional therapy, according to a report recently published in journal Zhongguo Zhen Jiu.

It is believed that subacute stage of stroke occurs between 1-6 months after onset of stroke. Better recovery in the subacute stage of stroke is crucial for patient’s long-term revival.

Researchers in China carried out a randomized controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of combination of body acupuncture and scalp acupuncture in patients of subacute stroke. One hundred twenty-six patients were divided into acupuncture treatment group (n=61) and conventional treatment group (n=65). Acupuncture was given 5 times a week for total 8 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer scale and NIHSS scale and Barthel index were used to evaluate the motor functioning, balance, sensation, joint functioning and activity of daily living before, during and after acupuncture treatment and follow-up.

Assessment after 4-week acupuncture showed a very good improvement compared to baseline judged by all parameters but did not show significant difference from conventional treatment group. At the end of 8-week acupuncture patients demonstrated markedly improvement in all assessments compared to baseline. Acupuncture showed a significant functional improvement compared to conventional group at the end of 8-week treatment and 3-month follow-up assessment.

Authors conclude that combination of body acupuncture and scalp acupuncture achieved better clinical efficacy in stroke recovery compared to conventional treatment.

Reference:

Chen LF et al., [Motor dysfunction in stroke of subacute stage treated with acupuncture: multi-central randomized controlled study]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2014 Apr;34(4):313-8.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24946625