| Objective: To investigate the effect of physiological ischemia training (PIT) induced by isometric contraction on functional recovery of patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Methods: Fifteen patients with ACI were divided into observation group (n=7) and control group (n=8). All patients received routine rehabilitation training, and those in observation group were given 4-week PIT. Fugl Meyer motor function score, modified Barthel Index (MBI), the MOS 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and plasma concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured at baseline and after training. Results: After training for 4 weeks, the Fugl-Meyer, MBI and SF-36 in both two groups were significantly increased as compared with those before training (P<0.05). Fugl-Meyer motor function score in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05), and MBI and SF-36 showed no significant difference between two groups. After training, plasma concentration of VEGF in observation group was significantly higher than before training and in the control group (P<0.05), while that in the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion: PIT can promote the recovery of motor function in patients with ACI probably by promoting the formation of collateral circulation in remote cerebral ischemia zone by increasing the release of VEGF. |
