Objective: To observe the effect of different needle-retaining duration on hemorheology in ischemic stroke patients in order to explore its underlying mechanism in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
Methods: A total of 251 ischemic apoplexy patients were, according to their state (mild, moderate and severe) of disease, randomly divided into 20 min, 40 min and 60 min groups respectively. Acupoints Jianyu (LI15), Quchi (LI11), Waiguan (TE5), Hegu (LI4), Futu (ST32), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. were punctured and stimulated electrically with parameters of 2 Hz, 2-6 mA for 20 min, 40 min and 60 min separately, once daily for 10 times. In addition, the patients were also treated with medicines for lowering intracranial pressure as manicol, etc. Higher shearing rate (HSR) and lower shearing rate (LSR) of whole blood viscosity (etab), plasma viscosity (etap), hematocrit (HCT) and profibrin were detected separately before and after the treatment.
Results: After acupuncture treatment, of the 83, 80 and 82 cases in 20 min, 40 min and 60 min groups, 3 (3.61%), 4 (5.00%) and 9 (10.98%) were cured basically, 15 (18.07%), 17 (21.25%) and 21 (25.61%) experienced remarkable improvement in their symptoms and signs, 24 (28.92%), 33 (41.25%) and 40 (48.78%) had an improvement, 41 (49.40%), 26 (32.50%) and 12 (14.63%) failed in the treatment, with the markedly effective rates being 21.68% , 26.25% and 36.59% and the effective rates being 50.60%, 67.50% and 85.37% separately. The effective rate of 60 min group was significantly higher than those of 20 min and 40 min groups (P<0.01, 0.05). Self-comparison showed that HSR, LSR of etab, etap, HCT and profibrin levels decreased considerably in comparison with pre-treatment in each group (P<0.01). Difference values of HSR, LSR, etap, HCT and profibrin (pre-treatment--those of post-treatment) in 60 min group were significantly higher than those of 20 min and 40 min groups (P<0.05, 0.01), and those of HSR, HCT and profibrin of 40 min group were markedly higher than those of 20 min group (P<0.01, 0.05). The therapeutic effect of 60 min group was the best.
Conclusion: Acupuncture can effectively improve stroke patients' symptoms and signs, and lower various parameters of hemorheology.