Clinical dose-effect study of acupuncture at Lianquan (CV23) with different frequencies of twirling manipulation for post-ischemic stroke aphasia

To observe the effect of acupuncture at Lianquan (CV23) with different frequencies of twirling manipulation on post-ischemic stroke aphasia.

A total of 105 patients with post-ischemic stroke aphasia were randomly divided into a low-frequency twirling acupuncture group (LT group, 35 cases, 1 case dropped out), a high-frequency twirling acupuncture group (HT group, 35 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a sham acupuncture group (SA group, 35 cases, 2 cases dropped out). All three groups received conventional stroke treatment. On this basis, the LT group was treated with Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture (regaining consciousness and opening orifices), and low-frequency twirling stimulation (60 times/min) was performed at Lianquan (CV23); the HT group was treated with Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture, and high-frequency twirling stimulation (120 times/min) was performed at Lianquan (CV23); and the SA group was treated with shallow needling at non-meridian and non-acupoint points. The frequency of treatment was once a day, 5 times per week for a total of 6 weeks. Before and after treatment, the Western aphasia battery (WAB), Boston diagnostic aphasia examination (BDAE), National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) and stroke and aphasia quality of life scale-39 (SAQOL-39) were used to evaluate the language function, neurological function and quality of life, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the three groups.

After treatment, except for the communication and psychosocial scores of SAQOL-39 in the SA group, the WAB scores, BDAE grade, and SAQOL-39 scores were increased compared with those before treatment (P＜0.05), and the NIHSS scores were decreased compared with those before treatment (P＜0.05) in the three groups. After treatment, except for the physiological score of SAQOL-39, the WAB scores, BDAE grade, and SAQOL-39 scores in the LT group were higher than those in the SA group (P＜0.05), and the NIHSS score in the LT group was lower than that in the SA group (P＜0.05); the WAB-aphasia quotient (WAB-AQ) score, auditory comprehension score of WAB, BDAE grade, and communication score of SAQOL-39 in the HT group were higher than those in the SA group (P＜0.05); the WAB-AQ score, spontaneous speech score of WAB, and communication score of SAQOL-39 in the LT group were higher than those in the HT group (P＜0.05), and the NIHSS score in the LT group was lower than that in the HT group (P＜0.05). The total clinical effective rate of the LT group was 82.35% (28/34), that of the HT group was 71.88% (23/32), and that of the SA group was 54.55% (18/33), the total clinical effective rates of the LT group and the HT group were higher than that of the SA group (P＜0.05).

Compared with the high-frequency twirling manipulation acupuncture at Lianquan (CV23), the low-frequency twirling manipulation acupuncture has a better effect in improving the language function, neurological function and quality of life in patients with post-ischemic stroke aphasia.