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Effects of scalp acupuncture plus acupuncture exercise therapy on walking ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy

头针结合针刺运动疗法对痉挛型脑瘫患儿步行能力的影响

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Abstract

Objective

To compare the effect of scalp acupuncture and scalp acupuncture plus acupuncture exercise therapy (AET) on walking ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods

A total of 60 spastic CP children with gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) grades I-III were divided into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with the same conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture therapy for CP. The control group received conventional rehabilitation first and then scalp acupuncture. The observation group received AET, which was to receive the conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture simultaneously. Before and after treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated by the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) score, scores of dimensions D and E of the gross motor function measure (GMFM) scale, walking speed, and walking distance.

Results

During treatment, there were 2 dropouts in the observation group. After 3 courses of treatment, the MAS scores in both the control group and observation group decreased compared with the same group before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance were increased (P<0.05); the between-group comparison showed that the MAS score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance in the observation group were higher or longer than those in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

With the same treatments, scalp acupuncture combined with AET is superior to the conventional scalp acupuncture method in reducing lower-limb muscle tone, improving standing balance ability, and walking stability in children with spastic CP.

摘要

目的

比较头针与头针结合针刺运动疗法对痉挛型脑性瘫痪(CP)患儿步行能力的影响。

方法

将60例粗大运 动功能分级(GMFCS)为I-III级的痉挛型CP患儿按随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组, 每组30例。两组均接受相同的 CP常规康复治疗及头针治疗, 对照组先接受常规康复治疗, 然后接受头针治疗; 观察组接受针刺运动疗法, 即在头 针治疗的同时进行常规康复治疗。治疗前后分别采用改良Ashworth量表(MAS)评分、粗大运动功能评估量表(GMFM) 的D区和E区评分、步行速度和步行距离评价临床效果。

结果

治疗过程中观察组脱落2例。经过3个疗程治疗, 与本 组治疗前比较, 对照组和观察组MAS评分均降低(P<0.05), GMFM的D区和E区评分、步行速度和步行距离均提高 (P<0.05); 组间比较, 观察组MAS评分低于对照组(P<0.05), GMFM的D区和E区评分、步行速度和步行距离均高于对照 组(P<0.05)。

结论

在治疗方法相同情况下, 头针结合针刺运动疗法降低痉挛型CP患儿下肢肌张力, 提高立位平衡能 力和步行稳定能力的作用均优于头针常规刺法。

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Special Fund Project of Guangdong Provincial Inheritance and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (广东省传承发展中医药事 业专项资金项目, No. 20201339).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanhai Maternity and Child Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, 528200, China

    Yong Zhao  (赵勇), Wenjian Zhao  (招文健), Jixiang Cheng  (程吉祥), Yinying Huang  (黄银英), Jiankun Guo  (郭建坤), Yu Han  (韩玉), Chuntao Zhang  (张春涛) & Jianmei Fu  (付建梅)

  2. Panyu Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 511400, China

    Bingxu Jin  (金炳旭)

Authors
  1. Yong Zhao  (赵勇)
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  3. Wenjian Zhao  (招文健)
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  7. Yu Han  (韩玉)
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  8. Chuntao Zhang  (张春涛)
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Correspondence to Bingxu Jin  (金炳旭).

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there is no potential conflict of interest in this article.

Statement of Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from the guardians of the recruited children in this study.

First Author: ZHAO Yong, M.M., chief physician of traditional Chinese medicine

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Zhao, Y., Jin, B., Zhao, W. et al. Effects of scalp acupuncture plus acupuncture exercise therapy on walking ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 20, 181–186 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-022-1310-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-022-1310-z

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