[Effect of penetrative needling of otopoints combined with body acupuncture on limb myodynamia and neurofunction in patients with acute cerebral infarction]

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of different acupuncture methods in improving the myodynamia and neuronfunction of patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). METHODS: A total of 90 ACI patients were randomized into ear-acupuncture, scalp-acupuncture and body-acupuncture groups, with 30 cases in each. For patients of ear-acupuncture group, the main otopoints used for penetrative needling were Zhen(MA-AT)-Nie(MA-AT)-E(MA-AT) on the affected side in combination with Jian(MA-SF 4)-Suogu(MA-SF 5) and Zhou(MA-SF 3)-Wan(MA-SF 2)-Zhi(MA-SF 1) for upper-limb paralysis, and with Tun (MA-AH 5)-Zuogushenjing(MA-AH 6), Kuan(MA-AH 4)-Xi(MA-AH 3), and Xi(MA-AH 3)-Huai(MA-AH 2)-Zhi(MA-AH 1) for lower-limb paralysis, and body acupoints as Jianyu(LI 15), Hegu(LI 4), Huantiao(GB 30), Taixi(KI 3), etc. For patients of scalp-acupuncture group, scalp-points used were Dingnie Qianxiexian(MS 6) and Dingnie Houxiexian(MS 7) on the healthy side, and combined with body acupoints (the same as those mentioned above). For patients of body-acupuncture group, only body acupoints were used. The treatment was given once daily for 14 days. RESULTS: Comparison among 3 groups showed that the increased myodynamia of both upper and lower limbs in ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups was significantly superior to that of body-acupuncture group (P < 0.01). The neurofunctional deficit scores of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups were significantly lower than that of body-acupuncture group (P < 0.01) after the treatment. In comparison with pre-acupuncture, the neurofunctional deficit scores of the 3 groups lessened considerably after the treatment (P < 0.01). Of the 30 cases in each of earacupuncture, scalp-acupuncture and body-acupuncture groups, 0, 1 and 0 were cured basically, 21, 18 and 4 experienced marked improvement, 9, 11 and 20 were improved, 0, 0 and 6 failed, respectively. The therapeutic effects of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture were obviously superior to that of body-acupuncture group (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups in myodynamia improvement, neurofunctional deficit scores and clinical curative effect (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can effectively improve ACI patients\' clinical symptoms and the therapeutic effect of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture was superior to that of simple body acupuncture.