Effect of mild moxibustion at Jiuwei (CV15) on the diaphragm and postural control ability of patients after recovery from stroke complicated with pulmonary infection: a randomized controlled trial

To observe the effect of mild moxibustion at Jiuwei (CV15) on the ultrasonic parameters of the diaphragm and postural control ability of patients after recovery from stroke complicated with pulmonary infection.

Eighty patients were randomly divided into control group (40 cases, with 5 cases dropped out) and experimental group (40 cases, with 4 cases dropped out). The control group was given rehabilitation training, routine internal medicine and acupuncture treatments, while the experimental group was given mild moxibustion at CV15 with moxa sticks on the basis of the control group, 15 minutes each time, once a day, 5 times a week for a total of 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the diaphragm thickness (DT), the diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF), the diaphragm excursion (DE) and the diaphragm contraction velocity (DCV) during quiet breathing and deep breathing were measured by musculoskeletal ultrasound, respectively. The trunk impairment scale (TIS) and the postural assessment scale for stroke survivors (PASS) scores of the patients were evaluated before treatment, 2 weeks after treatment, and 4 weeks after treatment.

Compared with the same group before treatment, the DTF was increased (P<0.05), the DE during quiet breathing and deep breathing both increased (P<0.05), the DCV during deep breathing increased (P<0.05) after treatment, and the TIS and PASS scores increased (P<0.05) 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment of patients in both groups; the DT increased (P<0.05), and the DCV during quiet breathing increased (P<0.05) of patients in the experimental group. Compared with the control group at the same time point, the DTF increased (P<0.05), the DCV during quiet breathing increased (P<0.05), the DE and DCV during deep breathing both increased (P<0.05) after treatment, and the TIS and PASS scores increased (P<0.05) 4 weeks after treatment of patients in the experimental group.

Mild moxibustion at CV15 can effectively improve the DTF, DE during deep breathing, and DCV during quiet breathing and deep breathing of patients recovered from stroke complicated with pulmonary infection, and improve the postural control ability of patients.