[Influence of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy on limb motor function and serum cAMP and cGMP in patients with hemiplegia of cerebral ischemic stroke]

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of the combined treatment with balance acupuncture therapy and exercise re-learning rehabilitation therapy and the impact on serum cAMP and cGMP in the patients with hemiplegia of cerebral ischemic stroke.

Methods: A total of 90 patients of hemiplegia of cerebral ischemic stroke were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 45 cases in each one. All of the patients in the two groups received health education, diet guidance, routine symptomatic treatment as well as exercise re-learning rehabilitation therapy. Additionally, in the observation group, balance acupuncture therapy was applied, in which, the acupoints on the yang aspect of the human body, on the governor vessel and bladder meridian were adopted in the morning and those on the yin aspect of the human body, on the conception vessel and kidney meridian were stimulated in the afternoon. In the control group, the regular acupuncture was given. In the two groups, both acupuncture and rehabilitation therapies were given 5 days a week, 2 week-treatment as one course and totally 2 courses were required. Separately, before and after treatment, the score of Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and the score of Chinese stroke scale (CSS) were recorded, the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) detected in serum and the clinical therapeutic effect were evaluated in the two groups.

Results: After treatment, FMA score was increased in the patients of either of the groups as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01) and CSS score decreased as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01). After treatment, FMA score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01) and CSS score was lower than the control group (P<0.01). After treatment, the level of serum cAMP of the patients in either of the groups was increased as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01) and that of cGMP decreased as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01). After treatment, the level of cAMP in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01) and that of cGMP was lower than the control group (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 93.3% (42/45) in the observation group, better than 73.3% (33/45) in the control group (P<0.01).

Conclusion: The balance acupuncture therapy combined with exercise re-learning rehabilitation effectively improves the motor function of the affected limb, relieves injury and regulate the levels of serum cAMP and cGMP in the patients with hemiplegia of ischemic stroke.

Keywords: acupuncture; balance acupuncture therapy; cerebral ischemic stroke; cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP); cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP); exercise re-learning rehabilitation therapy; hemiplegia.