Clinical Study of Acupuncture Combined with Alteplase and Tirofiban in the Treatment of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Background The clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with alteplase and tirofiban in the treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was investigated. Methods A total of 130 AIS patients who were treated in our hospital from February 2019 to February 2022 were selected and randomly divided into an observation group with 65 cases and a control group with 65 cases by random number table method. Patients in the control group were treated with conventional treatment and alteplase as well as tirofiban, while those in the observation group were additionally treated with acupuncture on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy, National Institute of Health Stoke Scale (NIHSS) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and the levels of inflammatory factors as well as vascular endothelial function indexes were compared between the two groups. Results After the treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was obviously higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The NIHSS score in the two groups was significantly lower while the MMSE score was evidently increased compared with those before the treatment. The change in the observation group was significantly greater than that in control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in both groups were distinctly lower than those before the treatment, and the levels in the observation group were evidently lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Nitric oxide (NO) level in the two groups was obviously increased compared with that before the treatment while endothelin-1 (ET-1) level was remarkably decreased. The change in the observation group was evidently greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). In addition, there were no adverse reactions in the two groups during the treatment. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with alteplase and tirofiban in the treatment of patients with AIS has a significant effect, which can ameliorate symptoms of neurologic impairment, vascular endothelial function and hemorheological status, improve the quality of daily life, and alleviate inflammation in patients. Moreover, it has favorable safety.