OBJECTIVETo verify the clinical efficacy on post-stroke dysphagia treated with acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23).

METHODSOne hundred and eighty patients were randomized into an acupuncture A group, an acupuncture B group and a rehabilitation group, 60 cases in each one. On the basis of the conventional medication, in the acupuncture A group, acupuncture was applied at Lianquan (CV 23); in the acupuncture B group, acupuncture was applied at Hegu (LI 4) and Neiguan (PC 6) and in the rehabilitation group, the swallowing rehabilitation training was adopted. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week, and the 4 weeks of treatment was required in all of the groups. The national institute of health stroke scale (NIHSS) and TV X-ray fluoroscope swallowing scale (VFSS) were used to evaluate neurologic deficit and swallowing function before and after treatment in the patients of each group. The morbidity of pneumonia and clinical efficacy were compared among the groups.

RESULTSThe scores of NIHSS and VFSS were improved apparently after treatment in the patients of the three groups (all P < 0.05) and the results in the acupuncture A group were superior to those in the other two groups (all P < 0.05). The morbidity of pneumonia in the acupuncture A group was lower than that in the acupuncture B group and the rehabilitation group [3.3% (2/60) vs 6.7% (4/60), 8.3% (5/60), both P < 0.05]. The effective rate in the acupuncture A group was better than that in either of the other two groups [95.0% (57/60) vs 81.7% (49/ 60), 75.0% (45/60), both P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONOn the basis of the conventional medication, acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23) effectively improves the swallowing function, relieves neurological deficit and reduces the morbidity of pneumonia in the patients of post-stroke dysphagia.