Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion and acupuncture at acupoints of the governor vessel combined with repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of post-stroke fatigue (PSF).
Methods: A total of 78 patients with PSF were randomized into an observation group (39 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (39 cases, 1 case dropped out). The patients in both groups received conventional medical basic treatment. In the control group, rTMS was adopted, 20 min each time. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, therapy of moxibustion and acupuncture at acupoints of the governor vessel was delivered in the observation group, Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenting (GV 24), Fengfu (GV 16), Zhiyang (GV 9), Mingmen (GV 4) and Yaoyangguan (GV 3) were selected, Baihui (GV 20) was treated with moxibustion, Dazhui (GV 14) was treated with collateral-pricking, other acupoints were treated with conventional acupuncture, moxibustion and acupuncture were sustained for 30 min. The treatment in both groups was given once a day for continuous two weeks. Before and after treatment, the scores of fatigue severity scale (FSS), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Fugl-Meyer motor function assessment (FMA) were observed, and the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 were detected in both groups.
Results: After treatment, in the two groups, the FSS and PSQI scores, as well as the serum levels of CRP, IL-1βand IL-6 were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), while FMA scores were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, in the observation group, FSS and PSQI scores, as well as the serum levels of CRP, IL-1β and IL-6 were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), while FMA score was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The serum levels of CRP, IL-1β and IL-6 were positively correlated with FSS score in the observation group (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Moxibustion and acupuncture at acupoints of the governor vessel combined with rTMS can effectively alleviate the fatigue, improve the sleep quality and limb function in PSF patients, its mechanism on alleviating fatigue may be related to the down-regulation of serum inflammatory factors.
目的：观察“灸刺督脉”疗法联合重复经颅磁刺激治疗卒中后疲劳（PSF）的临床疗效。方法：将78例PSF患者随机分为观察组（39例，脱落1例）和对照组（39例，脱落1例）。两组均予常规内科基础治疗。对照组采用重复经颅磁刺激治疗，每次20 min；观察组在对照组治疗基础上加用“灸刺督脉”疗法，穴取百会、大椎、神庭、风府、至阳、命门、腰阳关，其中百会采用艾灸治疗，大椎采用刺络治疗，其余腧穴予常规针刺治疗，艾灸及针刺均每次30 min。两组均每日1次，连续治疗2周。分别于治疗前后观察两组患者疲劳严重程度量表（FSS）、匹兹堡睡眠质量指数（PSQI）及Fugl-Meyer运动功能评定（FMA）评分，并检测两组患者血清C反应蛋白（CRP）、白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-6含量。结果：治疗后，两组患者FSS、PSQI评分及血清CRP、IL-1β、IL-6含量较治疗前降低（P<0.05），FMA评分较治疗前升高（P<0.05）；观察组患者FSS、PSQI评分及血清CRP、IL-1β、IL-6含量低于对照组（P<0.05），FMA评分高于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组患者FSS评分与血清CRP、IL-1β、IL-6含量呈正相关（P<0.01）。结论：“灸刺督脉”疗法联合重复经颅磁刺激可有效缓解PSF患者疲劳程度，改善其睡眠质量、提高肢体功能，其缓解疲劳程度的机制可能与下调血清炎性因子含量有关。.
Keywords: collateral-pricking; fatigue severity scale score; moxibustion and acupuncture at acupoints of governor vessel; post-stroke fatigue; randomized controlled trial (RCT); repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation; serum inflammatory factors.