ZHU Lian's excitation-type acupuncture improves limb function, reduces oxidative stress, and boosts angiogenesis in ischemic stroke recovery.

Ischemic stroke results from vascular occlusion, leading to neuronal injury exacerbated by energy failure, calcium overload, and oxidative stress. While revascularization therapies exist, many patients still experience significant functional deficits during recovery. Current rehabilitation often falls short in fully restoring limb function and mitigating persistent cellular damage. Acupuncture, particularly specific manipulation types, is explored for its potential to enhance neuroprotection and recovery by modulating factors like angiogenesis and oxidative stress. This study investigates a specific acupuncture technique to address these gaps.

84 patients with ischemic stroke in recovery were randomized into a ZHU Lian acupuncture group (n=42) and a conventional acupuncture group (n=42). Both received routine care plus their specific acupuncture protocols on affected-side acupoints (e.g., GB20, LI15, LI11). Treatments were administered once daily for 3 weeks. Outcomes included Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), Berg balance scale (BBS), modified Barthel index (MBI) scores, and serum levels of SOD, MDA, GSH, VEGF, bFGF, and ET-1 before and after treatment.