Disabled Persons ; Humans ; Stroke ; complications

Background: Dementia is one of the major causes of dependency after stroke. The prevalence of poststroke dementia (PSD)defined as any dementia occurring after stroke is likely to increase in the future.Objectives: This study have two purposes: 1) Clinical study of MCI and dementia after the first stroke of patients with age of 60 years and older; 2) Overview on clinical characteristics of memory disorders. Subjects and method: 30 patients with were diagnosed with the first ischemic stroke in Huu nghi hospital together with the same number in the control group were involved in this study. The subjects in the two groups were all satisfied with included/excluded criteria diagnosis. Clinical diagnosis of new - onset dementia or other mental disorders was determined using neuropsychological tests. Results: Many functions of the brain were impaired including: logical memory, visiospatial skills, executive function were statistically reduced in the research group compared to the control. However, language function was also impacted but not as much as others. The frequency of the poststrocke dementia in this study was 12.3% while the poststrocke mild cognitive impairment rate was 47%. Conclusions: Global cognitive functioning together with memory state was significantly declined in the ischemic stroke compared to the control group.
Stroke/ pathology ; complications ; Dementia/ pathology ; complications

Female ; Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; diagnosis ; Stroke ; complications

Female ; Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; diagnosis ; Stroke ; complications

Despite declines in morbidity and mortality in recent years, ischemic stroke (IS) remains one of the leading causes of death and disability from cerebrovascular diseases. Addressing the controllable risk factors underpins the successful clinical management of IS. Hypertension is one of the most common treatable risk factors for IS and is associated with poor outcomes. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has revealed that patients with hypertension have a higher incidence of blood pressure variability (BPV) than those without hypertension. Meanwhile, increased BPV has been identified as a risk factor for IS. The risk of IS is higher and the prognosis after infarction is worse with higher BPV, no matter in the acute or subacute phase. BPV is multifactorial, with alterations reflecting individual physiological and pathological changes. This article reviews the current research advances in the relationship between BPV and IS, with an attempt to raise awareness of BPV among clinicians and IS patients, explore the increased BPV as a controllable risk factor for IS, and encourage hypertensive patients to control not only average blood pressure but also BPV and implement personalized blood pressure management.
Humans ; Blood Pressure/physiology* ; Ischemic Stroke/complications* ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Hypertension ; Stroke/complications* ; Prognosis

Hypertension plays an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke,which,however,is only known at the blood pressure level.The relationship between circadian rhythm of blood pressure(especially the circadian rhythm disorder of blood pressure)and stroke has been a hot research topic.This article reviews the concept of circadian rhythm of blood pressure,classification of circadian rhythm disorder of blood pressure,and the relationship of circadian rhythm disorder of blood pressure with ischemic stroke.
Blood Pressure ; Brain Ischemia/complications* ; Chronobiology Disorders/complications* ; Circadian Rhythm ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications* ; Ischemic Stroke/complications*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of staged acupuncture on serum irisin level, neurological deficit, balance ability and spasticity in patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Sixty patients with ischemic stroke were randomly divided into a staged acupuncture group and a routine acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group; another 30 healthy subjects were selected as a normal group. The patients with ischemic stroke were treated with aspirin (100 mg each time, once a day, changing to 50 mg for prophylactic dose after 4 weeks). The patients in the staged acupuncture group were treated with staged acupuncture (acupoints were selected according to the soft paralysis period, spasticity period and recovery period, sequelae period) and rehabilitation treatment, while the patients in the routine acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture of soft paralysis-period as the staged acupuncture group and rehabilitation treatment. All the treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week, 2 weeks as a course of treatment, and 4 consecutive courses of treatment were provided. Before treatment and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks into treatment, the serum irisin level was measured, and the scores of National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS), Fugl-Meyer assessment scale-balance (FM-B) and comprehensive spasticity scale (CSS) were compared, and the correlation between the serum irisin level and NIHSS and FM-B scores in the two groups was analyzed. RESULTS: Before treatment, the serum irisin levels in the two groups were lower than those in the normal group (P<0.01). Compared before treatment, the serum irisin levels and FM-B scores were increased (P<0.01), and the NIHSS scores were decreased at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks into treatment in the two groups (P<0.01). At 4, 6 and 8 weeks into treatment, in the staged acupuncture group, the serum irisin levels and FM-B scores were higher than those in the routine acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the NIHSS scores were lower than those in the routine acupuncture group (P<0.01). After treatment, the CSS scores in the two groups were increased first and then decreased. Compared before treatment, the CSS scores were increased at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks into treatment in the two groups (P<0.01). At 4, 6 and 8 weeks into treatment, the CSS scores in the staged acupuncture group were lower than those in the routine acupuncture group (P<0.01). The serum irisin level was negatively correlated with NIHSS score (r =-0.772, P =0.000), and positively correlated with FM-B score (r =0.675, P =0.000). CONCLUSION The severity of neurological deficit and balance ability are related to serum irisin level in patients with ischemic stroke. The staged acupuncture could increase the serum irisin level, improve the neurological function, balance ability and spasticity in patients with ischemic stroke.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Ischemic Stroke ; Muscle Spasticity ; Neurological Rehabilitation ; Paralysis/complications* ; Stroke/therapy* ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect of plum-blossom needle tapping at three meridians of wrist combined with rehabilitation training and simple rehabilitation training on wrist joint contracture after stroke. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with wrist joint contracture after stroke were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 36 cases in each one. In the control group, simple rehabilitation training was applied, 5 times a week, 3 weeks as one course and totally 3 courses were required. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, plum-blossom needle tapping at three meridians of wrist was adopted in the observation group. The tapping regions were wrist traveling parts of three meridians of hand, ranging from up 3 to below 1 of wrist crease, 3 times a week, 3 weeks as one course and totally 3 courses were required. The active range of motion (AROM) of active wrist extension, Fugl-Meyer score (FMA) and Barthel index (BI) score were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: The AROM, FMA scores and BI scores after treatment in the two groups were superior to before treatment (<0.05), and the improvements of 3 indexes in the observation group were superior to the control group (<0.05). CONCLUSION The therapeutic effect of plum-blossom needle tapping at three meridians of wrist combined with rehabilitation training is superior to simple rehabilitation training on wrist joint contracture after stroke.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Contracture ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Stroke ; complications ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome ; Wrist ; Wrist Joint

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences in the clinical effect on post-stroke hand spasm among the combined treatment of penetrating acupuncture and kinesiotherapy, the simple application of penetrating acupuncture and the simple application of kinesiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 105 patients with post-stroke hand spasm were randomized into a penetrating acupuncture group, a kinesiotherapy group and a combined treatment group, 35 cases in each one, of which, 2 cases were dropped out in either the combined treatment group and the penetrating acupuncture group, and 1 case dropped out in the kinesiotherapy group. The routine rehabilitation training, e.g. occupational therapy and Bobath exercise and medication were adopted in all of the three groups. In the penetrating acupuncture group, the penetrating needling technique was exerted from Hegu (LI 4) to Houxi (SI 3) and from Waiguan (TE 5) to Sidu (TE 9) on the affected side. In the kinesiotherapy group, the persistent movement or passive movement was exerted on the wrist joint, the metacarpophalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints. In the combined treatment group, the penetrating acupuncture (the same as the penetrating acupuncture group) was exerted combined with kinesiotherapy (the same as the kinesiotherapy group). In each group, the treatment was given once a day, 30 min in each time, 6 treatments a week in total, with the interval of 1 day between the courses. The treatment for 2 weeks was as one course and 2 courses were required totally. Before and after treatment, the scores of hand spasm index, hand-wrist motor function and the activity of daily living (ADL) were compared in each group. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of hand spasm index were reduced as compared with those before treatment in each group (<0.05) and the scores of hand-wrist motor function and ADL were increased significantly as compared with those before treatment in each group (<0.05). After treatment, the reducing degree of the score of hand spasm index in the combined treatment group was greater than the penetrating acupuncture group and the kinesiotherapy group (<0.01), and the increasing degree of the scores of hand-wrist motor function and ADL were higher than either the penetrating acupuncture group or the kinesiotherapy group (<0.01). The improvements in each index were not different statistically between the kinesiotherapy group and the penetrating acupuncture group (>0.05). CONCLUSION Compared with the simple application of either penetrating acupuncture or kinesiotherapy, the combined treatment of them achieves the significant improvements in hand spasm degree, hand wrist motor function and ADL in patients with stroke.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Kinesis ; Spasm ; etiology ; therapy ; Stroke ; complications ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of interactive scalp acupuncture, scalp acupuncture alone and scalp acupuncture plus cognitive training for cognitive dysfunction after stroke. METHODS: A total of 660 patients with cognitive dysfunction after stroke were randomly divided into an interactive scalp acupuncture group (218 cases, 18 cases dropped off), a scalp acupuncture group (220 cases, 20 cases dropped off) and a scalp acupuncture plus cognitive training group (222 cases, 22 cases dropped off). All the patients were treated with routine medication and exercise rehabilitation training. The interactive scalp acupuncture group was treated with scalp acupuncture on the parietal midline, and contralateral anterior parietal temporal oblique line and posterior parietal temporal oblique line at the same time of cognitive training; the scalp acupuncture group was treated with scalp acupuncture alone, and the scalp acupuncture plus cognitive training group was treated with scalp acupuncture and cognitive training in the morning and afternoon respectively. All the treatments were given once a day, 6 times a week for 8 weeks. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale score was used to evaluate the cognitive function before treatment, 4 weeks and 8 weeks into treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the total score of MoCA was increased after 4-week treatment and 8-week treatment in the three groups ( CONCLUSION The interactive scalp acupuncture could significantly improve the cognitive function in patients with cognitive dysfunction after stroke, and the efficacy is superior to scalp acupuncture alone and scalp acupuncture plus cognitive training.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Humans ; Scalp ; Stroke/complications* ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome