Effects of Acupuncture Treatment on Daily Life Activities and Quality of Life
Completed
Phase N/A ResultsTrial 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.
Outcomes
Type | Measure | Time Frame | Safety Issue |
---|---|---|---|
Primary | Functional outcome was based on the neurological score according to the Scandinavian Stroke Study Group, Daily life activity outcome was evaluated with the Barthel Index and Sunnaas Index of ADL, Health-related quality of life was estimated by means of the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The assessments were performed 4 times during the first year: 3 days after randomization and at 3 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months. |
Sponsors
John and Brit Wennerström Foundation for Neurological Research, the Vårdal Foundation, and the Swedish Stroke AssociationRecruitment
- Gender: Both
- Minimum Age: 40
- Study Size: 104
- Number of Centers: 3
- Max Time from Onset: 7 Days
- Follow Up: 1 Years
Principal Investigator
-
Gunilla Gosman-Hedström, OT, MSc
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Neurology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Locations
- Goteborg, Sweden.