OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical value of the comprehensive therapy of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and rehabilitation in the treatment of post-stroke flaccid limb dysfunction.

METHODSThe four-center, single-blind, randomized and controlled research method was adopted, 240 qualified subjects were randomized into a comprehensive therapy group, an acupuncture group, a rehabilitation group and a Chinese herbal medicine group, 60 cases in each one, at the ratio of 1 1. In the comprehensive therapy group, the comprehensive therapy of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and rehabilitation was applied. The acupuncture therapy included the scale acupuncture at middle line of vertex, lateral line 1 of vertex, lateral line 2 of vertex, etc. with the single reinforcing and reducing technique by the speed of needle insertion and withdrawal, and the body acupuncture therapy at the acupoints on the antagonistic muscles with the reinforcing and reducing technique by the needle rotation. The Chinese herbal medicine therapy included No. 1 stroke formula for the cases of liver and kidney yin deficiency and the upward disturbance of wind yang, No. 2 stroke formula for qi deficiency and blood stagnation, and the stagnation in meridians and No. 3 stroke formula for the interaction of phlegm and stasis and blockage of meridians according to the pattern/syndrome differentiation. The rehabilitation therapy focused on the promotion technique by putting the healthy limb. The simple acupuncture, rehabilitation and Chinese herbal medicine therapies as the comprehensive therapy group were applied in the acupuncture group, rehabilitation group and Chinese herbal medicine group separately. The Chinese medicine symptom, the limb motor function, the daily life activity, fainting needle reaction, allergic reaction and the others were taken as indices to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment.

RESULTS(1) The results of the four indices named the Chinese medicine symptom, the limb motor function, the limb balance function, the daily life activity were all improved significantly after treatment as compared with those before treatment in four groups (all P < 0.01). (2) Concerning to the improvement degrees, the improvements of the above four indices in the comprehensive therapy group were more significant than those in the other three groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The improvement in Chinese medicine symptom in the acupuncture group and the Chinese herbal medicine group were more significant than that in the rehabilitation group (both P < 0.05). The improvement of the upper limb motor function in the acupuncture group was more significant than that in the rehabilitation group and the Chinese herbal medicine group separately (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive therapeutic program of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and rehabilitation is safe and effective in the treatment of post-stroke flaccid limb dysfunction. It is more advantageous in efficacy as compared with any simple therapy.