OBJECTIVETo observe the difference of clinical efficacy between " needles therapy" and conventional acupuncture in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and its relationship with autophagy.

METHODSSixty patients with ACI were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases and 2 dropping) and a control group (30 cases and 3 dropping). Conventional drugs were applied in the two groups. In the observation group, acupuncture was applied at Dazhui (GV 14), Fengchi (GB 20), Qiangjian (GV 18), Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Yintang (GV 29), Shuigou (GV 26), Quchi (LI 11, affected side), Hegu (LI 4, affected side), Zusanli (ST 36, affected side), and EA was connected at Baihui (GV 20) and Yintang (GV 29). After 30 min, the EA and non-governor vessel acupoints were removed, and the governor vessel points were continued for 20 min. Twirling was used twice every 5 min, 1 min a time. In the control group, acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 29), Quchi (LI 11, affected side), Waiguan (TE 5, affected side), Shousanli (LI 10, affected side), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6, affected side), Taixi (KI 3, affected side), Taichong (LR 3, affected side). EA was connected at Zusanli (ST 36) and Hegu (LI 4). The treatment was given for 10 days, once every day with needle retained for 30 min. National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), modified Barthel index (MBI) scores were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy, the changes of contents of LC3-II and Beclin1 in peripheral serum were judged.

RESULTSAfter treatment, NIHSS score was lower than that before treatment, and MMSE score and MBI score were higher than those before treatment (all <0.01), and the result in the observation group was better than that in the control group (all <0.05). Contents of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 in peripheral serum were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (both <0.01), and the result in the observation group was better than that in the control group (both <0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 92.9% (26/28), which was better than 70.4% (19/27) in the control group (both <0.05).

CONCLUSION" needles therapy" have better effect to relieve the clinical symptoms of patients with acute cerebral infarction than conventional acupuncture, which may be related to the increasing number of autophagic bodies and autophagy activity.