OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Huayu Tongluo (resolving stasis and promoting collateral circulation) moxibustion combined with intradermal needling on depressive symptoms, quality of life and cognitive impairment in patients with mild to moderate depression after cerebral infarction on the basis of western medicine treatment. METHODS: Fifty patients with mild to moderate depression after cerebral infarction were randomly divided into an acupuncture combined with western medication group (group A, 25 cases) and a western medication group (group B, 25 cases). In the group B, paroxetine hydrochloride tablets were taken orally, 20 mg after breakfast, once a day, and the dose could be adjusted to the maximum 40 mg/d according to the patients' condition, for 4 weeks totally. On the basis of the treatment in the group B, the group A was treated with Huayu Tongluo moxibustion, namely aconite cake-separated moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) and suspended moxibustion at Dazhui (GV 14) and Shenting (GV 24), combined with intradermal needling at Shenmen (HT 7), Jianshi (PC 5), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. Huayu Tongluo moxibustion was performed 6 times a week, and intradermal needling was performed 3 times a week，for 4 weeks totally. In the two groups, the scores of Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), stroke specific quality of life scale (SS-QOL) and mini mental state examination (MMSE) were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy and safety were compared. RESULTS: After treatment, the HAMD score in the each group was decreased compared with that before treatment (P<0.05), and that in the group A was lower than the group B (P<0.05); after treatment, the SS-QOL score in the group A and MMSE score in the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the SS-QOL score in the group A was higher than the group B (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 88.0% (22/25) in the group A, which was higher than 60.0% (15/25) in the group B (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (4.0% [1/25] vs 16.0%[4/25], P>0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of the treatment of western medication paroxetine hydrochloride tablets, Huayu Tongluo moxibustion combined with intradermal needling therapy can effectively improve the depressive symptoms, quality of life and cognitive impairment of patients with mild to moderate depression after cerebral infarction.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Paroxetine ; Depression/therapy* ; Cerebral Infarction/therapy*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Seizures ; Thrombolytic Therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the optimum acupuncture treatment program and the mechanism for treatment of cerebral infarction.

METHODSSixty-three cases were randomly divided into 9 groups. The four factors, times of manipulation, the retaining time of the needle, acupuncture instrument and acupoints,and their corresponding three levels were adopted respectively in treatment of each group. Then nerve function defect score and insulin resistance were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe acupoints, the times of manipulation and the retaining time of the needle have significant effects on nerve function defect and insulin resistance (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and the acupuncture instrument has a significant effect on insulin resistance (P < 0.01). The choice of acupoints was the most important factor for acupuncture treatment of cerebral infarction.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture for regulating The Governor Vessel with twice manipulations and retaining the needle for 60 min is optimum treatment program for cerebral infarction. The good regulating effect of acupuncture on insulin resistance is one of the mechanisms of achieving the therapeutic results.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Needles

OBJECTIVETo search for an effective method for treatment of cerebral infarction.

METHODSSixty cases of cerebral infarction were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. All of them were treated with routine needling method, and "Shandong Xiaoying" needling was added to the observation group. The therapeutic effects, recovery of myodynamia and daily living ability were compared in the two groups.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference between the two groups in the total effective rate for recovery of upper limb myodynamia (P > 0.05), but there was a very significant difference in the total effective rate for recovery of lower limb myodynamia and increase of daily living ability between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION"Shandong Xiaoying" needling has markedly therapeutic effect on cerebral infarction.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Upper Extremity

Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the central nervous system and play significant roles in normal brain. With cerebral infarction, astrocytes are activated as reactive astrocytes and form glial scars, which play an essential part in brain injury. According to their roles in neuroprotection after cerebral infarction, regulation of scar formation, nerve regeneration, maintenance of blood-brain barrier, promotion of angiogenesis and immune response, scholars have proposed a variety of therapeutic strategies based on targeting astrocytes. This article reviews the research progress on the changes in astrocyte signaling pathways before and after cerebral infarction and the related therapeutic strategies.
Astrocytes ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Neuroglia ; pathology ; Signal Transduction

Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; complications ; Cerebral Infarction ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: In recent years, thrombolytic therapy has been used with success to reduce the infarction area in patients with acute cerebral infarction, It is very important to identify ischemic penumbra in the treatment of stroke. The aim of this study is detect ischemic penumbra and border between ischemic penumbra and infarction area using perfusion CT and diffusion-weighted MR images (DW-MRI) in patient 's with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Thirteen inpatients with acute ischemic stroke at the Department of Neurology at Chonnam University Hospital were selected for this study. They had the discrepancy of lesion between perfusion CT and DW-MRI. Perfusion CT was done on admission and DW-MRI within 24 hours after stroke in all patients. Ischemic penumbra was assessed by comparing the defect on perfusion CT with the infarction area on DW-MRI. Clinical outcome was measured with the NIHSS on day 1, 3, and 7. RESULTS: The subjects (perfusion defect on the perfusion CT> infarction area on DW-MRI) achieved significant improvement at NIHSS. There was a significant difference between infarct and non-infarct tissue for both rCBF and rCBV but not for MTT. It could be possible not to define the tissue outcome but to estimate it by this study. CONCLUSIONS: Perfusion CT with DW-MRI is a useful tool for the detection of ischemic penumbra which may be the main target of active treatment.
Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Infarction ; Inpatients ; Jeollanam-do ; Neurology ; Perfusion* ; Stroke* ; Thrombolytic Therapy

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical therapeutic effects of phased integral acupuncture and routine acupuncture on patients with cerebral infarction.

METHODSOne hundred and thirteen cases were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 63) treated by phased integral acupuncture and a control group (n = 50) treated by routine acupuncture. Their clinical therapeutic effects were compared after treatment.

RESULTSThe treatment group in the decreases of both the diagnostic score for TCM diseases of stroke and the score for neurological function defect, and the therapeutic effect was superior to the control group with significant differences (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe phased integral acupuncture is an effective therapy with a therapeutic effect better than that of the routine acupuncture for treatment of hemiplegia due to cerebral infarction.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Infarction ; Hemiplegia ; therapy ; Humans ; Research Design ; Stroke ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo apply pulse magnetic acupuncture at scalp acupoints to treat acute cerebral infarction and to explore the mechanism.

METHODSA pulse magnetic acupuncture group, a routine acupuncture group and a static magnetic acupuncture group were set up, 30 cases in each group. Their clinical therapeutic effects were observed.

RESULTSThe cured-markedly effective rate was 80.0% in the pulse magnetic acupuncture group and 70.3% in the routine acupuncture group with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05), which were significant difference with 36.6% in the static magnetic acupuncture group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPulse magnetic acupuncture and routine acupuncture at scalp acupoints have same therapeutic effect on acute cerebral infarction, which is superior to that of static magnetic acupuncture.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Infarction ; therapy ; Humans ; Scalp ; Stroke ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo search for a method for increasing clinical therapeutic effect of acute large area cerebral infarction.

METHODSNinety-six cases were randomly divided into a comprehensive treatment group and a western medicine group, 48 cases in each group. The western medicine group were treated with routine western methods, dehydration for decreasing intracranial pressure, brain-protection, anti-platelet agglutination, improving circulation and expectant treatment, etc.; the comprehensive treatment group were treated with the routine treatment of western medicine combined with acupuncture, moxibustion and enema of Chinese drugs. The therapeutic effect was observed after treatment for 28 days.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 68.8% in the comprehensive treatment group and 39.6% in the western medicine group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01), and the score of the National Institute of Health's Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the score of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in the comprehensive treatment group were better than those in the western medicine group (P < 0.001, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCombined treatment of Chinese medicine and western medicine for large area cerebral infarction is better than simple western medicine, and it can significantly improve neurological defect of the patient and decrease death rate.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Acute Disease ; Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged