Efficacy of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and its effects on hemodynamics and cervical range of motion / 中国基层医药

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and its effects on hemodynamics and cervical range of motion.Methods:A total of 120 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy who received treatment in Ningbo Zhenhai District People's Hospital,China between February 2018 and February 2020 were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to receive either rehabilitation treatment alone, including cervical traction and functional exercise (control group, n = 60) or acupuncture + rehabilitation treatment (observation group, n = 60) for 4 weeks. Therapeutic efficacy, Visual Analog Scale score, Clinical Assessment Scale for Cervical Spondylosis score and Chinese Stroke Scale score, hemodynamics of basilar arteries (peak systolic velocity, mean flow velocity and resistance index) and cervical range of motion were compared between the two groups. Results:Total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [91.67% (55/60) vs. 73.33% (44/60), χ2 = 6.984, P < 0.05]. Visual Analog Scale score and Chinese Stroke Scale score in the observation group were (1.48 ± 0.39) points and (10.53 ± 1.83) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(2.30 ± 0.48) points, (13.26 ± 1.96) points, t = 10.270, 7.886]. The Clinical Assessment Scale for Cervical Spondylosis score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(92.09 ± 5.42) points vs. (83.21 ± 3.78) points, t = 10.409, P < 0.05)]. After treatment, peak systolic velocity and mean flow velocity in the observation group were (67.18 ± 5.27) cm/s and (26.75 ± 3.02) cm/s, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(56.01 ± 6.34) cm/s, (20.93 ± 2.87) cm/s, t = 10.495, 10.821, both P < 0.05]. Resistance index in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group [(0.72 ± 0.15) vs. (0.98 ± 0.17), t = 8.883, P < 0.05). After treatment, the ranges of cervical flexion, extension, left rotation and right rotation motions in the observation group were (45.68 ± 3.27) °, (48.26 ± 2.26) °, (74.01 ± 5.48) ° and (75.83 ± 4.89) °, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(40.83 ± 2.16) °, (42.70 ± 2.80) °, (63.78 ± 4.29) ° and (66.58 ± 4.36) °, t = 9.586, 11.969, 11.386, 10.937, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training is effective in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy because it can improve the hemodynamic index and cervical range of motion.