Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jul 6, 2024; 12(19): 3776-3784
Published online Jul 6, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i19.3776
Impact of task-oriented training based on acupuncture rehabilitation on upper extremity function and quality of life of patients with early stroke
Hong-Guang Liu, Jing-Jing Liu, Yan-Ping Wang, Hong-Ying Wang, Ao Sun, Yue Zhou, Ming-Ming Cai, Ming-Ming Qi
Hong-Guang Liu, Hong-Ying Wang, Ao Sun, Yue Zhou, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China
Jing-Jing Liu, Department of Neurology, Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China
Yan-Ping Wang, Department of Infectious Diseases, Jixi Hengshan District People's Hospital, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China
Ming-Ming Cai, Department of Medical Care, Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China
Ming-Ming Qi, Department of Science and Education, Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China
Author contributions: Liu HG designed the research and wrote the first manuscript; Liu HG, Liu JJ, Wang YP, Wang HY, Sun A, Zhou Y, Cai MM and Qi MM contributed to conceiving the research and analyzing data; Liu HG and Qi MM conducted the analysis and provided guidance for the research; all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Ethic Committee of Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital.
Informed consent statement: As the study used anonymous and pre-existing data, the requirement for the informed consent from patients was waived.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Dr. Qi has nothing to disclose.
Data sharing statement: The data used to conduct the research are available from the corresponding author upon request.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ming-Ming Qi, MS, Associate Chief Technician, Department of Science and Education, Ji Xi Ji Mine Hospital, No. 198 Heping Street, Jiguan District, Jixi 158100, Heilongjiang Province, China. internazionale1314@163.com
Received: March 14, 2024
Revised: May 5, 2024
Accepted: May 7, 2024
Published online: July 6, 2024
Processing time: 106 Days and 20.1 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Eighty percent of stroke patients develop upper limb dysfunction, especially hand dysfunction, which has a very slow recovery, resulting in economic burden to families and society.

AIM

To investigate the impact of task-oriented training based on acupuncture therapy on upper extremity function in patients with early stroke.

METHODS

Patients with early stroke hemiplegia who visited our hospital between January 2021 and October 2022 were divided into a control group and an observation group, each with 50 cases. The control group underwent head acupuncture plus routine upper limb rehabilitation training (acupuncture therapy). In addition to acupuncture and rehabilitation, the observation group underwent upper limb task-oriented training (30 min). Each group underwent treatment 5 d/wk for 4 wk. Upper extremity function was assessed in both groups using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Rating Scale (WMFT), modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Quality of life was evaluated using the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Clinical efficacy of the interventions was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Before intervention, no significant differences were observed in the FMA-UE, MBI, and WMFT scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). After intervention, the FMA-UE, WMFT, MBI, COPM-Functional Mobility and Satisfaction, and SF-36 scores increased in both groups (P < 0.05), with even higher scores in the observation group (P < 0.05). The observation group also obtained a higher total effective rate than the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Task-oriented training based on acupuncture rehabilitation significantly enhanced upper extremity mobility, quality of life, and clinical efficacy in patients with early stroke.

Keywords: Stroke; Acupuncture rehabilitation; Task-oriented training; Upper extremity training

Core Tip: Stroke is a debilitating disease associated with high morbidity, mortality, and disability. Eighty percent of patients develop upper limb dysfunction. Effective treatment of upper limb function in patients with early stroke will help reduce the medical and economic burden on families and society. This study compared routine upper limb rehabilitation training alone vs routine upper limb rehabilitation training plus upper limb task-oriented training in terms of upper limb function (assessed using the Fugl–Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity, Wolf Motor Function Rating Scale, modified Barthel Index, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure Functional Mobility and Satisfaction), quality of life (Short-Form 36 Item Health Survey), and clinical efficacy. The results confirm that task-oriented training based on acupuncture–rehabilitation resulted in superior improvements on the three assessments.