Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Treating Stroke: a Retrospective Study

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in treating
stroke. This study was a retrospective study from medical records of stroke patients in 5 hospitals in
the public health regions 3 to 6 (Nong Chang Hospital, Bangkruai Hospital, Luangphorpern Hospital,
Krathum Baen Hospital, and Phanatnikhom Hospital). The study samples were stroke patients (ICD-
10: I60-64) purposively selected from those who were treated and had passed the crisis period within
6 months and had been treated by acupuncture treatment in combination with standard treatments during
October 2020 - June 2021. The general data of the samples were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency
and percentage), Barthel index and other assessments of each patient were analyzed using pair
t-test and the statistical significance was set at 95 percent confidence level (p<0.05). The resulst showed
that there were 74 subjects who met the criteria, with the average age of 60.8 years old. Most of them
were males (67.6 percent), in the age of 51 - 60 years old (36.5 percent), and 71.6 percent used the
national health insurance. There were 95.9 percent of the patients with hemiplegia and received acupuncture
treatment within 13.78 days after getting stroke, up to 12.34 times on average (SD=8.18). The
results of the assessment of the ability to perform daily activities using Barthel index (BI) were significantly
better after acupuncture treatments, with the index increased 3.78 points after getting acupuncture
treatment (p<0.05), and none of the patients got decrease in the Barthel index. The motor power assessment
of the patients at level 0-4 showed increase score after acupuncture treatments. Minor side effects
were observed in 12.2 percent of the patients, which were mainly needle puncture contusion.