Clinical observation of taking acupuncture at the acupoints based on "four seas theory" for post-stroke cognitive impairment 基于“四海理论”组穴针刺治疗脑卒中后认知障碍的临床观察

Objective

To observe the clinical effect on post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) treated by acupuncture at the acupoints composed in accordance with the "four seas theory".

Methods

A total of 70 patients with PSCI were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 35) and a control group (n = 35). In the control group, conventional basic treatment and rehabilitation training were adopted, while in the treatment group, on the base of the treatment as the control group, acupuncture was applied at the acupoints composed in accordance with "four seas theory", lasting 8 weeks. The scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the instantaneous memory, the scores of Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and the delayed memory, the score of kidney essence insufficiency in syndrome differentiation scale of vascular dementia (SDSVD), event-related potentials (ERP) P300 and clinical therapeutic effect were compared in the patients between two groups before and after treatment separately.

Results

After treatment, MMSE score and the score of instantaneous memory were higher than the results before treatment in either group respectively (all P < 0.05), in which, MMSE score in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, MoCA score and the score of delay recall were higher than the results before treatment in either group (all P < 0.05), in which, MoCA score in the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the score of SDSVD was lower than that before treatment in either group (both P < 0.05), in which SDSVD score in the treatment group were lower than the control group (P < 0.05). There were no statistical changes in P300 latency and wave amplitude in the patients of the control group after treatment (both P > 0.05). However, in the treatment group, P300 latency was reduced and the wave amplitude was increased after treatment (both P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 88.57% in the treatment group, higher than 71.43% in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Acupuncture at the acupoints composed on the base of the "four seas theory” effectively improves the cognitive function and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in PSCI patients. This therapy is of great value in clinic in the future.