Acupuncture and Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation in Stroke Rehabilitation
|
Status:
Trial complete. Results published in May 2001.
Purpose:
To test the hypothesis that sensory stimulation by acupuncture and/or high-intensity low-frequency TENS improves motor function and/or activities of daily living (ADL) after stroke.
Interventions:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, "needle", and pungere, "prick") or in Standard Mandarin, zhe-n bia-n (a related word zhe-n jiu( refers to acupuncture together with moxibustion)[3] is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body with the aim of relieving pain and for therapeutic purposes.[4] According to acupuncture theory, these acupuncture points lie along meridians along which qi, a kind of vital energy, is said to flow.
|
Electrical stimulation
This category includes any form of electrical stimulation intended to improve motor function or pain after stroke.
|
Year Started:
1994
Year Finished:
1997
Design:
Stratified, randomized, controlled trial of 150 patients at 7 Swedish centers. Stratification was by center.
Inclusion Criteria
Acute stroke 5-10 days prior to entry, moderate or severe functional impairment (Barthel Index <= 70 and inability to perform Nine Hole Peg test within 60 seconds or inability to walk 10 meters without mechanical or personal support), informed consent, all ages.
Exclusion Criteria
Previous neurological, psychiatric, or other disorder making it difficult to pursue treatment or evaluations; inability to comprehend information about the trial; concurrent participation in another trial of interventions supposed to affect long-term neurological and functional outcome; failure to obtain informed consent.
Patient Involvement:
Patients were randomized in blocks of 6 to 1 of 3 treatment groups: acupuncture; high-intensity, low-frequency TENS, and subliminal high-frequency transcutaneous electrostimulation (control group). Each treatment session was 30 minutes and took place twice a week for 10 weeks (20 treatment sessions total). All patients, irrespective of the group they had been allocated to, received conventional physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy as needed. Antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants were allowed at the discretion of the attending physician.
Primary Outcome:
ADL function assessed by the Barthel Index, overall motor function by the Rivermead Mobility Index, fine motor function by the Nine Hole Peg test, walking ability by the time needed to walk 10 meters (with or without mechanical support), quality of life by the Nottingham Health Profile. Assessments were made at randomization and 3 and 12 months after stroke onset.
Results:
No differences in the extent of improvement between the groups were observed for any of the outcome measures.
Source of Information:
Published report.
|
|
Web Links and Publications:
|
|
This information last updated on: 7/24/2001
|
Trials
Directories