| Objective: To evaluate the effect of combined anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) and conventional rehabilitation training on upper and hand motor functions of patients with stroke. Methods: In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 96 patients with hemiplegia after stroke were randomly divided into two groups: treatment group (n=49) and control group (n=47). A-tDCS was given to the treatment group, and a-tDCS was given to the control group for false stimulation. On this basis, patients in both groups received conventional drugs and conventional rehabilitation treatment. Before and 4 weeks after treatment, patients were assessed with upper limb Fugl-Meyer motor function rating scale (FMA-UE), WMFT rating scale (WMFT), modified Barthel index scale (MBI) and Brunnstrom rating scale, and adverse reactions after treatment were counted. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI scores in both groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (all P<0.01), and all scores in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.01,P<0.05). Brunnstrom stage of upper limb and hand in both groups was significantly improved as compared with that before treatment (all P<0.01), and the improvement of upper limb and hand Brunnstrom stage in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.01,P<0.05). Slight adverse reactions occurred in the treatment group, including skin itching at the place where the electrode was placed (1 case), and sleep disturbance (1 case). Dizziness occurred in one case in the control group. The patients with the above adverse reactions were able to tolerate,without treatment for a short time to relieve.Conclusions: A-tDCS could effectively improve the upper limb function in patients with hemiplegia following stroke, which may provide a better rehabilitation treatment for stroke. |
