title: Acupuncture for acute stroke: study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acupuncture has been widely used as a treatment for stroke in China for more than 3,000 years. However, previous research has not yet shown that acupuncture is effective as a stroke treatment. We report a protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled, and outcome assessor-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on acute ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective trial involving three hospitals in the Zhejiang Province (China) 250 patients with a recent (less than 1 week previous) episode of ischemic stroke will be included. Patients will be randomized into two groups: an acupuncture group given scalp acupuncture and electroacupuncture, and a control group given no acupuncture. Eighteen treatment sessions will be performed over a three-week period. The primary outcome will be measured by changes in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at the one, three, and four-week follow-up. Secondary outcome measures will be: 1) the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for motor function; 2) the mini-mental state examination and Montreal cognitive assessment for cognitive function; 3) the video-fluoroscopic swallowing study for swallowing ability; and 4) the incidence of adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This trial is expected to clarify whether or not acupuncture is effective for acute stroke. It will also show if acupuncture can improve motor, cognitive, or swallowing function.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-TRC-12001971.
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No, 219 Moganshan Road, XiHu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310005, China. fangjianqiao7532@163.com.
authors.forename: Jianqiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Ruijie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Froym
authors.forename: Xudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shouyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Conghua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003679:Deglutition; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012535:Scalp; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*