Effect of acupuncture of “twelve hand and foot acupoints” combined with neural mobilization on limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction hemiplegia of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis type

To observe the effect of acupuncture of “twelve hand and foot acupoints” (in fact “12 acupoints on the hands and feet”) combined with neural mobilization intervention (a manual treatment method that directly applies force to some related nerve tissue through the placement and movement of multiple joints) on the limb motor function and quality of life in patients with cerebral infarction (CI) hemiplegia of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis type.

Ninety-eight patients with CI hemiplegia of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis type were randomly divided into a neural mobilization group (49 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a combination (acupuncture plus neural mobilization) group (49 cases, 3 cases dropped out) using a random number table method. All patients underwent basic treatment and rehabilitation training, and those of the neural mobilization group received various manipulations at different portions of the body related to the innervation of radial nerve, median nerve, ulnar nerve, sciatic nerve, common peroneal nerve, tibial nerve and femoral nerve through the placement and movement of multiple joints. The patients of the combination group received manual acupuncture stimulation of 12 acupoints (including bilateral Neiguan [PC6], Hegu [LI4], Quchi [LI11], Yanglingquan [GB34], Zusanli [ST36] and Sanyinjiao [SP6], with the acupuncture needles retained for 30 min in every session of treatment) on the basis of the neural mobilization. The treatment was conducted once daily, 5 d a week for 4 weeks. The degree of neurologic impairment was assessed by China stroke scale (CSS). The score of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome was given according to “quantitative scoring scale for qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome”. The limb motor function was assessed using Fugl-Meyer assessment scale (FMA). The blood plasma viscosity and fibrinogen level were detected using a blood rheology analyzer. The score of quality of life was assessed using the stroke-specific quality of life scale (SS-QOL).

After 4 weeks of treatment, the CSS score, the score of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome, plasma viscosity and fibrinogen level were significantly lower in both groups than those pre-treatment (P<0.05), with the combination group showing obviously lower values than the neural mobilization group (P<0.05). The FMA score and SS-QOL score were considerably increased in both groups compared with those pre-treatment (P<0.05), and were strikingly higher in the combination group than in the neural mobilization group (P<0.05).

Acupuncture of “twelve hand and foot acupoints” combined with neural mobilization can effectively regulate blood rheology, improve symptoms and limb motor function, and raise the quality of life in patients with hemiplegia of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis type.