OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling combined with scalp acupuncture and simple scalp acupuncture for shoulder-hand syndrome phase Ⅰ after cerebral infarction. METHODS: A total of 68 patients with shoulder-hand syndrome phase Ⅰ after cerebral infarction were randomized into a combination group (34 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a scalp acupuncture group (34 cases). Internal medicine treatment and conventional rehabilitation training were adopted in both groups. In the scalp acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied at parietal area and anterior parietal area of Yu's scalp acupuncture, electroacupuncture was connected for 30 min, with disperse-dense wave, in frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz and in electric current of 1 mA, and the needles were retained for 6 h, once a day for continuous 14 days. On the basis of the treatment in the scalp acupuncture group, Fu's subcutaneous needling was applied at the affected muscles during needle retaining in the combination group, once a day in the first 3 days, once every other day in left days, 2-day interval was taken after 4-time treatment, for 14 days totally. Before and after treatment, the scores of the short form of McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), edema degree, guides to evaluation of permanent impairment (GEPI), and disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) were observed in the two groups, respectively, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of pain rating index (PRI), visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI), as well as the total scores of SF-MPQ were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and the above indexes in the combination group were lower than those in the scalp acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of edema degree and DASH were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), while the GEPI scores were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05) in the two groups; in the combination group, the scores of edema degree and DASH were lower (P<0.05) while the GEPI score was higher (P<0.05) than those in the scalp acupuncture group. The total effective rate was 97.0% (32/33) in the combination group, which was superior to 91.2% (31/34) in the scalp acupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Both Fu's subcutaneous needling combined with scalp acupuncture and simple scalp acupuncture can effectively relieve the shoulder joint pain and edema degree of hand, improve the upper limb function in patients with shoulder-hand syndrome phase Ⅰ after cerebral infarction, and the combination therapy has better therapeutic effect than simple scalp acupuncture.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Middle Aged ; Cerebral Infarction/therapy* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Scalp ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult

Objective The purpose of this study was to produce cut-off values of fetal pulmonary artery stenosis (PS),allowing the application of Z-scores to evaluate fetal pulmonary artery.Methods A total of 214 normal singleton fetuses and 107 singleton fetuses with PS were included in this study.They were measured for standard biometry:biparietal diameter (BPD) and femoral diaphysis length (FL) and an assessment of gestation age (GA).The standardized fetal echocardiographic measurements included diameters of pulmonary valve annulus (PV),pulmonary artery (PA),ductus arteriosus (DA) and aorta (AO).Then we calculated the Z-scores from parameters of fetal size.The Z-scores differences of PV,PA,DA and AO in PS group were compared.The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves of PV and PA Z-scores were obtained by statistical analysis.Results Compared with the normal group,the Z-scores of PV,PA and DA decreased in the PS group,whereas the Z-scores of AO increased (P ＜0.01 for all).The critical values of Z-score for PV in diagnosing PS with BPD,FL and GA as variables were-1.13,-1.33,-1.28,with sensitivity 94.2％,90.3％,93.5％,specificity 60.0％,65.0％,62.5％,respectively.The critical values of Z-score for PA with BPD,FL and GA as variables were-1.01,-0.98,-1.01,with sensitivity 96.8％,96.8％,96.1％,specificity 65.0％,65.0％,62.5％,respectively.Conclusions In the fetus with pulmonary artery stenosis,PV,PA and DA Z-scores decreased,while AO Z-scores increased.The pulmonary artery Z-scores had important application value in quantitative evaluation and diagnosis of mild fetal pulmonary artery stenosis.

Objective: To report a patient with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) manifesting as lumbago, hunchback and Parkinson’s syndrome. Methods: A 49-years-old male CADASIL patient was reported. Results of clinical examination, neuroimaging and genetic testing were analyzed. His family members were also subjected to genetic testing. Related literature was reviewed. Results: The patient had no typical symptoms of CADASIL such as headache, repeated stroke, dementia and emotional disorders, but progressive Parkinson’s syndrome, late onset lumbago, hunchback, dysphagia, and diplopia. Brain MRI showed left basal ganglia and external capsule lacunar infarction. Genetic testing revealed a point mutation c. 1630C>T (p.R544C) in exon 11 of the NOTCH3 gene. A heterozygous mutation was detected in the same gene in his mother, elder sister and younger brother, all of whom showed different clinical phenotypes. Conclusion The clinical features of CADASIL are heterogeneous. Lumbago, humpback, and Parkinson’s syndrome may be a rare clinical phenotype of CADASIL.

OBJECTIVE: To report a patient with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) manifesting as lumbago, hunchback and Parkinson's syndrome. METHODS: A 49-years-old male CADASIL patient was reported. Results of clinical examination, neuroimaging and genetic testing were analyzed. His family members were also subjected to genetic testing. Related literature was reviewed. RESULTS: The patient had no typical symptoms of CADASIL such as headache, repeated stroke, dementia and emotional disorders, but progressive Parkinson's syndrome, late onset lumbago, hunchback, dysphagia, and diplopia. Brain MRI showed left basal ganglia and external capsule lacunar infarction. Genetic testing revealed a point mutation c.1630C>T (p.R544C) in exon 11 of the NOTCH3 gene. A heterozygous mutation was detected in the same gene in his mother, elder sister and younger brother, all of whom showed different clinical phenotypes. CONCLUSION The clinical features of CADASIL are heterogeneous. Lumbago, humpback, and Parkinson's syndrome may be a rare clinical phenotype of CADASIL.
CADASIL ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; etiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Parkinson Disease ; etiology ; Receptor, Notch3 ; genetics