OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in clinical efficacy on post-stroke motor aphasia among the combined therapy of acupoint application of jieyu plaster and acupuncture, simple acupuncture and simple acupoint application of jieyu plaster.

METHODSEighty-six patients of post-stroke motor aphasia were randomized into an acupuncture group (28 cases) , an acupoint application gruop (29 cases) and the combined therapy group (29 cases). In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied at the Speech No. 1 area and three-tongue needling points, once a day, 6 times a week. In the acupoint application group, jieyue plaster was applied to Yongquan (KI 1) and Laogong (PC 8), once a day, and the bilateral acupoints were selected alternatively. In the combined therapy group, the therapeutic methods of the first two groups were used in combination. The treatment lasted for 4 weeks in the three groups. The speech function score was observed and compared before and after treatment in the three groups and the efficacy was compared among the three groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 86.2% (25/29) in the combined therapy group, which was better than 67.9% (19/28) in the acupuncture group and 69.0% (20/29) in the acupoint application group (both P < 0.05). After treatment, the scores of spontaneous conversation, restatement and nomenclature in the speech function were all improved as compared with those before treatment in the three groups (all P < 0.01). The results in the combined therapy group were apparently better than those in the acupuncture group and the acupoint application group (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupoint application of jieyu plaster and acupuncture apparently improves the speech function in the treatment of post-stroke motor aphasia and the efficacy is better than that of simple acupuncture or simple acupoint application.