Objective To explore the effect of acupuncture on ankle varus after stroke. Methods 61 stroke patients with ankle varus were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n=30) was treated with exercise and function electrical stimulation (FES), while the observation group (n=31) was treated with acupuncture in addition. Clinical Spasticity Index (CSI), Simplified Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), modified Barthel Index (MBI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Holden Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) were applied to assess ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function, the activities of daily living (ADL), balance function and walking ability respectively before and 8 weeks after treatment. Results Compared with pre-treatment, two groups improved in the ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function,ADL, balance function and walking ability 8 weeks after treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group was better than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture can facilitate to improve the ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function, ADL, balance function and walking ability for stroke patients ankle varus.

Objective To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with the diagnosis of multiple myeloma(MM)and to analyse the outcome of difierent regimens for the treatment of MM.Methods The study reviewed 332 MM cases diagnosed within the period from January 1,2002 to December 31,2002.These patients were tracked via their records to a total period of three years.Results First-line treatment:Totally 332 patients were included,among them 325(97.9%)patients received chemotherapy and 7(2.1%)patients received stem cell transplantation(SCT);Second-line treatment:197 patients were included,among them 190(96.5%)patients received chemotherapy and 7(3.6%)patients received SCT;Third-line treatment:92 patients were included,among them 88(95.7%)patients received chemotherapy and 4(4.4%)patients received SCT.Major adverse effects were follows:severe infection 19.3%,severe anaemia 19.3%,phlebothrombosis 1.2%,thrombocytopenia 16.9%,fever associated with neutropenia 18.1%.Conclusions Some curative effects can be achieved by using traditional treatment plans to treat patients suffering from MM,but new methods are expected to improve the prognosis.