Abstract: Objective: To examine the effect of low-frequency acupoint electrical stimulation (LFES) on the surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals of the thumb-to-finger movement muscles in stroke patients, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of LFES on hand function recovery after stroke.
Methods: Sixty patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to a LFES group or an electroacupuncture (EA) group, with 30 patients in each group. Both groups received conventional treatment, and the EA group was treated with acupoints from the book of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, while the LFES group was treated with acupoints from a previous study. The sEMG characteristic values (MAX and RMS), Chinese Stroke Clinical Neurological Deficit Scale (CSS), Brunnstrom Motor Function Evaluation, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Lindmark Hand Function Score and Lovett Muscle Strength Classification were measured before and after treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
57
In order to determine the efficacy of low-frequency acupoint electrical stimulation and electroacupuncture to improve thumb to finger action after stroke
Low-Frequency Acupoint Electrical Stimulation
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
sEMG eigenvalues
sEMG eigenvalues: two main aspects, maximum value (MAX), and root mean square value (RMS). MAX reflects the maximum contraction strength of the measured muscle. RMS is the root mean square of the EMG transient amplitude over time, which reflects the average change in EMG signal and is therefore used as an evaluation of muscle contraction performance.
Time frame: Three weeks
CSS score
In this study, the upper extremity and hand muscle strength and motor function were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of patients, and the consciousness, upper extremity and hand evaluation components were selected for assessment. The lower the CSS score, the better the improvement in neurological deficits.
Time frame: Three weeks
Brunnstrom's method of motor function evaluation
Grade I: no movement; Grade II: only weak flexion and extension; Grade III: hook grasp, but not finger extension; Grade IV: able to pinch laterally and thumb release, fingers can be extended semi-randomly and to a small extent; Grade V: can ball and column grasp, fingers extend simultaneously, but not individually; Grade VI: all grasps can be completed, but the speed and accuracy are worse than the non-involved side.
Time frame: Three weeks
Modified Ashworth Scale
no increase in muscle tone; Grade 1: mildly increased muscle tone, with minor resistance felt during passive flexion/extension to the maximum extent in grasping movements; Grade 1+: slightly increased muscle tone, with minor resistance felt during flexion/extension to more than 1/2 range in grasping movements; Grade 2: heavy resistance felt in most ranges of motion, but passive activities can be performed Grade 3: muscle tone is significantly elevated and passive activities are not easily performed; Grade 4: the affected portion of the limb exhibits tonic extension or flexion.
Time frame: Three weeks
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Lindmark hand function score
1 point: gripping action can be completed, but can not resist tiny resistance; 2 points: can hold an object for 5s, but can not resist medium resistance, or grip is not standard, uncoordinated; 3 points: grip is normal, can hold an object against larger resistance for 5s, and can release the hand like normal people, the total score is 24 points, the higher the score, the The higher the score, the better the hand function.
Time frame: Three weeks
Lovett muscle strength classification
Grade 0: complete muscle paralysis, palpation muscle completely no contraction; Grade I: slight muscle contraction, but can not cause joint movement; Grade II: can drive the joint horizontal activity, but can not fight gravity; Grade III: can fight gravity to do active joint activity, but can not fight resistance; Grade IV: can fight a larger resistance, but weaker than normal; Grade V: normal muscle strength .
Time frame: Three weeks