OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at key acupoints combined with the routine rehabilitation training of limb function on spasmodic hemiplegia after cerebral infarction.

METHODSEighty-six cases were randomized into an acupuncture combined with rehabilitation group (group A, 44 cases) and a rehabilitation group (group B, 42 cases). In group A, the key acupoints were selected from head, face, chest, abdomen, shoulder, back, hands, feet and ankles such as Cuanzhu (BL 2), Danzhong (CV 17), Jianyu (LI 15) and Yanglao (SI 16) were stimulated with acupuncture. In combination, the routine limb rehabilitation training was applied, once every day. In group B, the routine limb rehabilitation training was applied alone. In both groups, 10 treatments made one session and 2 sessions were required totally. Before and after treatment, Fugl-Meyer scale and functional independent measurement (FIM) scale were adopted to assess the limb motor level and the activity of daily life in the patients respectively. The modified Ashworth scale was used to assess the effect of anti-spasm.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of anti-spasm was 90.9% (40/44) in the group A, which was superior to 73.8% (32/42) in the group B (P < 0.05). After 2 sessions of treatment, Fugl-Meyer score and FIM score were all improved in both groups (all P < 0.05) and the results in the group A were better than those in the group B (all P < 0.05). Additionally, the improvement of FIM score after the 1st session of treatment in the group A was better as compared with the group B, indicating the significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at key acupoints combined with rehabilitation therapy effectively relieves the spasmodic condition of the patients with post-stroke spasmodic hemiplegia, improves the limb function and the life activity of the patients.