Trial Description

To investigate whether electroacupuncture treatment favorably affects stroke patients' ability to perform daily life activities, their health-related quality of life, and their use of health care and social services.

Interventions

• Acupuncture Device

  Intervention Desc:

  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.

Trial Design

Prospective, stratified, randomized, controlled multi-center, open trial of 104 patients in 3 parallel groups. Stratification was by side of cerebral lesion (right/left), diabetes mellitus (yes/no), and hospital (Mölndal/Sahlgrenska/Östra).

Patient Involvement

Patients were randomized to 3 groups: deep, superficial, and no acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture treatment given by 4 physiotherapists started 4 to 10 days after randomization and was given twice a week for 10 weeks. All patients also underwent conventional stroke rehabilitation.

Sponsors

John and Brit Wennerström Foundation for Neurological Research, the Vårdal Foundation, and the Swedish Stroke Association