OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy difference on the motor function in the children of cerebral palsy between acupuncture combined with acupoint embedding therapy and simple acupuncture.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty children of cerebral palsy were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in, each one. In the observation group, acupuncture was applied in combination with acupoint embedding therapy. For the acupoint embedding therapy, the main acupoints were Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23); the supplementary points were Dazhui (GV 14), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Sanjiaoshu (BL 22), Xinshu (BL 15) and Ganshu (BL 18). The catgut was embedded to the acupoints. Acupuncture was applied to the acupoints on the head and four limbs and the needles were retained for 40 min after qi arrival. In the control group, the simple acupuncture was applied, except for the acupoint embedding therapy. The rest treatment was the same as the observation group. The treatment lasted continuously for 3 months in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the gross motor function measure (GMFM) and the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) were used for the assessment and the efficacy was analyzed.

RESULTS(1) After treatment, the total score of GMFM was increased in the two groups (both P<0. 01) and the score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0. 05). (2) The scores in A and B areas of GMFM were all improved in the two groups after treat ment (all P<0. 01) and the scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0. 01 P<0. 05). (3) The total effective rate was 76. 7% (46/60) in the observation group, which was better than 55. 0% (33/60) in the control group (P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupuncture and acupoint embedding much better improves the motor function in the children of cerebral palsy as compared with the simple acupuncture.