ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of carotid hemodynamic and hydraulic power indices after paralleled scalp-point acupuncture therapy in post-stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty post-stroke volunteer patients were enlisted in the present study. Aseptic filiform needles were inserted into Baihui (GV 20), bilateral Motor Area (MS 8), etc. with the needles retained for 5 min. The treatment was given one time. Hemodynamic indices: mean velocity of blood flow (Vmean), maximum velocity (Vmax), minimum velocity (Vmin), mean blood flow (Qmean), maximum blood flow (Qmax), minimum blood flow (Qmin), natural impedance (Zc), peripheral resistance (Rc), dynamic resistance (Dr), and critical pressure (Pc) before and after the treatment were detected with KF-3000 Brain Circulation Analyzer. The hydraulic power indices:stable potential energy (Ws), oscillation potential energy (Wo), total potential energy (Wc), stable kinetic energy (Ks), success kinetic energy (Ko), total kinetic energy (Kc), stable total energy (Ts), oscillation total energy (To), total energy (Tc), To/Tc, Kc/Tc, Wo/Wc and Ks/Kc were obtained through calculation. RESULTS: After the therapy, Vmin, Vmean, Qmin and Qmean increased significantly (P<0.001), while Rc decreased evidently (P<0.001). Ws, Ks, Ts, Wc, Kc, Tc and Kc/Tc increased obviously (P<0.001, P<0.05), and Ks/Kc declined significantly (P<0.01). The rest indices had no significant changes after the treatment. CONCLUSION: Multiple paralleled scalp acupuncture needles stimulation can effectively raise the blood flow volume of the common caroitid artery, leading to an increase of the energy supply of the cerebral blood circulation, but has no apparent influence on the total oscillatory energy/total energy in stroke patients.