| Objective: To observe the effect of repetitive facilitative exercise (RFE) combined with acupuncture on functional recovery and quality of life in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods: Totally, 60 eligible patients with cerebral infarction were randomly divided into acupuncture group, RFE group and combination group, with 20 cases in each group. All the three groups received routine rehabilitation treatment, acupuncture treatment added in acupuncture group, RFE added in RFE group, and acupuncture combined with RFE added in combined group, five times a week for 4 weeks. Barthel index (BI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Stroke-Specific Quality of life (SS-QOL) in the three groups were compared before and after treatment. Results: Except for one dropout in RFE group, the rest 59 patients completed the experiment. After 4 weeks of treatment, the scores of BI, FMA and SS-QOL in the three groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (P<0.01), and the scores of BI, FMA and SS-QOL in the combined group were significantly higher than those in the rest two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between acupuncture group and RFE group (P>0.05). Conclusion: For the patients with cerebral infarction, the application of RFE combined with acupuncture on the basis of routine rehabilitation training can significantly improve their motor function and activities of daily living, and improve their quality of life. |
