Shallow Acupuncture for brainstem infarction: a randomized controlled trial protocol

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Integrative Medicine

Background:

• Brainstem infarction, a critical posterior circulation stroke subtype, often leads to significant disability and limited functional recovery.
• Current therapeutic strategies for brainstem infarction are restricted, with insufficient evidence for rehabilitation approaches targeting functional recovery.
• Acupuncture shows promise in stroke rehabilitation, but high-quality evidence for brainstem infarction is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive Shallow Acupuncture in improving activities of daily living for patients with brainstem infarction.
• To explore associated neural changes using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Main Methods:

• A single-center, randomized, blinded, pragmatic add-on controlled trial involving 62 patients with brainstem infarction.
• Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either conventional acupuncture or adjunctive Shallow Acupuncture for 14 consecutive days, alongside standard care.
• Primary outcome: Barthel Index for activities of daily living. Secondary outcomes: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin Scale. Exploratory outcomes: rs-fMRI and DTI metrics.

Main Results:

• Primary clinical outcomes, secondary clinical outcomes, and exploratory neuroimaging metrics will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 1-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The study aims to provide high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of Shallow Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for brainstem infarction rehabilitation.
• Findings may inform future therapeutic strategies and enhance functional recovery in patients with brainstem infarction.