title: [Effect of acupuncture on the speech and acoustics level in patients with dysarthria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with speech therapy for dysarthria after stroke or cerebral trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one cases were randomly divided into two groups. The observation group (30 cases) was treated with speech therapy and acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23), Jinjin (EX-HN 12), Yuye (EX-HN 13), Fengchi (GB 20), Yifeng (TE 17) and Wangu (GB 12) as major acupoints, while the control group (31 cases) was treated with speech therapy only. The changes of speech and acoustics indices were evaluated after 9 weeks treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The word articulation and correct rate of text of patients in two groups were both obviously improved after treatment (both P < 0.01). The total effective rate of 96.7% (29/30) in observation group was superior to that of 67.7% (21/31) in control group (P < 0.01). The maximum phonation time (MPT) of patients tested by aeromechanics analyzer were obviously prolonged in observation group (12 cases) and control group (11 cases) (both P < 0.01), and the improvement in observation group was more obvious (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture combined with speech therapy can improve the effect on language and acoustics level for dysarthria.
authors.affiliation: Department of TCM, Beijing Bo'ai Hospital Affiliated to China Rehabilitation Research Center, Rehabilitation Medicine College of Capital Medical University, Beijing 100068, China. xjm5285@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Ji-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hui-Lan
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hu-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lan-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013070:Speech Therapy; D055815:Young Adult