[Effect of acupuncture on the speech and acoustics level in patients with dysarthria].
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.
Xu
Ji-Min
JM
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
Li
Hui-Lan
HL
Lu
Hu-Ying
HY
Chen
Zhi-Gang
ZG
Liu
Lan-Qun
LQ
Jing
Shan
S
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