The effectiveness of acupoint herbal patching for constipation after stroke: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Effects of CICARE model combined with traditional Chinese medicine encapsulation on muscle strength and depression levels in hemiplegic patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular disease

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of the combination of CICARE (C - Connect, I - Introduce, C - Communicate, A - Ask, R - Respond, E - Exit) communication model and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) poultice on muscle strength and depression levels in patients.

METHODS

Patients were divided into three groups: basic treatment group, basic treatment + TCM poultice group, and combined treatment group. Conventional rehabilitation therapy, TCM poultice external application, and the combination of both with the CICARE communication model were applied in the respective groups. Muscle strength (AMA muscle strength grading scale), self-care abilities (Barthel Index), depression symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), neurological deficit status (NIHSS score) and serum inflammatory factor levels were assessed at admission, 3 weeks, and 8 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

After 3 and 8 weeks of treatment, the combined treatment group had higher AMA muscle strength scores and improved Barthel Index scores compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Depressive symptoms also improved significantly in the combined treatment group, with lower HDRS scores at 3 and 8 weeks (p < 0.05). After 8 weeks, IL-1, IL-6, and hs-CRP levels decreased in all groups, with the combined treatment group showing the lowest levels (p < 0.05). NIHSS scores decreased significantly in all groups post-intervention, with the combined treatment group showing the greatest improvement (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The integration of CICARE communication model with TCM poultice shows notable benefits in enhancing muscle strength, daily living self-care abilities, reducing depression, neurological impairment, and inflammatory factors in post-stroke hemiplegia patients.

Effect of acupressure on alleviating constipation among inpatients with stroke during the acute phase: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the effects of acupressure in alleviating constipation among inpatients with stroke in neurological departments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a two-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled trial conducted between September 2020 and August 2021. In total, 128 inpatients with stroke at the acute phase from neurological departments were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either an acupressure group (ST25, CV12, and CV6) or a sham acupressure group for twice-daily therapy at 4 min per intervention for 7 days. The Bristol Stool Form Scale and Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS) were assessed at the beginning and completion of the study. A generalized estimating equation was used for data analyses.

RESULTS

The mean ages were 63.8 ± 19.1 and 66.2 ± 16.0 years, and the average National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores were 7.2 ± 5.6 and 8.1 ± 6.3 points for the acupressure and sham acupressure groups, respectively. The acupressure group demonstrated gradually lower scores on the CAS over time than the sham acupressure group. Patients who received acupressure had a lower likelihood of requiring defecation medication and were more likely to have normal bowel movements and a decreased risk of their stool appearing as a hard lump than those who received sham acupressure over time.

CONCLUSION

Traditional Chinese medicine-based acupressure can help alleviate constipation and reduce the use of defecation medication among inpatients with stroke who have been admitted to neurological departments.

TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05612646.

Study on the effect of acupunture treatment on autonomic nerve dysfunction in convalescent period of stroke based on heart rate variability assessment technique

Stroke patients with autonomic dysfunction are more likely to develop cardiac problems, which have been linked to lower functional outcomes and increased mortality. In this study, heart rate variability (HRV) detection paired with the Clinical Feature Scale will be utilized to elucidate the immediate impact of manual acupuncture on autonomic dysfunction of varying severity in the convalescence stroke phase. This is a randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial approach. At a ratio of 1:1, 60 appropriate patients will be randomly randomized into either the experimental or control group. On the basis of symptomatic treatment drugs, the experimental group will additionally undertake acupuncture therapy 3 times a week for 4 weeks, for a total of 12 times. Primary outcomes include 24-hour HRV and 60-minute HRV detection at week 4 compared with baseline. The secondary outcome is the score of clinical feature scale at week 4 compared with the baseline. Adverse events and safety indices will be recorded throughout the experiment. The SPSS V.25.0 statistical program was applied for analysis, and measurement data were expressed as mean ± SD.

Efficacy and safety of blood-activating herbs combined with edaravone in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although the combination of blood-activating herbs and western drugs has shown advantages in the treatment of ischemic stroke, there is no consensus on the safety and efficacy. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination of blood-activating herbs with edaravone (EDA) in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

METHODS

We will implement the search strategy in 8 English and Chinese databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, EMBASE and MEDLINE. The search included relevant clinical randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized controlled trials that had been registered for publication by November 2022. Literature screening, data extraction and quality assessment will be performed by 2 authors. We will assess the risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method classification will be used to assess the quality of the literature. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan V.5.4 and STATA 16 software.

RESULTS

This study will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current clinical evidence on the application of blood-activating herbs combined with EDA in the treatment of AIS.

CONCLUSION

This study will clarify the safety and efficacy of the combination of blood-activating herbs with EDA in the treatment of AIS.