ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical effect on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) between the combined treatment of Sun's abdominal acupuncture combined with the routine acupuncture and the simple routine acupuncture, and explore the influences on inflammatory factors i.e. interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-10. METHODS: Eighty patients with AIS were randomly divided into an observation group (40 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (40 cases, 1 case dropped out). The routine regimens of western medicine were administered in the two groups. In addition, the routine scalp acupuncture and the body acupuncture were used in the patients of the control group. The scalp acupuncture stimulation region and acupoints included the anterior parietal-temporal oblique line, Hegu (LI 4), Chize (LU 5), Shousanli (LI 10), etc. of affected side. In the observation group, on the base of the intervention of the control group, electroacupuncture was applied to "fouth abdominal area" of Sun's abdominal acupuncture, with the continuous wave and the frequency of 5 Hz. In the two groups, the intervention was given twice per day, once in every morning and afternoon separately, with the needles retained for 40 min in each intervention. The interventions were delivered for 6 days a week, lasting 3 weeks. The scores of Fugl-Meyer assessment scale (FMA), Berg balance scale (BBS) and the modified Barthel index (MBI), and the levels of IL-1ß and IL-10 in the serum were observed before and after treatment in the two groups; the effect and safety of interventions were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of FMA, BBS and MBI increased in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01), and these scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, in the two groups, the levels of IL-1ß in the serum were reduced in comparison with those before treatment (P<0.01), and the IL-1ß level in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05); the levels of IL-10 in the serum were elevated in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01) and the IL-10 level in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 92.3% (36/39) in the observation group, which was superior to that in the control group (84.6% [33/39], P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sun's abdominal acupuncture combined with the routine acupuncture can ameliorate the motor impairment, adjust the balance dysfunction and improve the activities of daily living in the patients with AIS. The therapeutic effect of this combined regimen is better than that of the routine acupuncture, which may be associated with the regulation of the inflammatory factors after cerebral infarction.