Observations on the Influence of Skull Acupuncture Plus Medication on Serum MDA in Acute Cerebral Infarction Patients

Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture at cranial suture areas (skull acupuncture) on serum malondialdehyde (MDA) in acute cerebral infarction (CI) patients with phlegm syndrome. Methods Twenty acute CI patients with phlegm syndrome were treated with acupuncture at cranial suture areas (coronal suture, sagittal suture and lambdoid suture) plus medication (group B) and 20 cases of the same condition, with simple medication (group A). Serum MDA contents were compare between pre- and post-treatment and between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in serum MDA content between pre- and post-treatment in group A (P0.05). Serum MDA content significantly decreased after treatment in group B (P0.01). There was a significant post-treatment difference in serum MDA levels between group B and group A (P0.05). There was a significant post-treatment difference in clinical neural deficit score in both group A and group B (P0.05,P0.01). Clinical neural deficit score decreased significantly more in group B than in group A (P0.05). Conclusion Skull acupuncture plus medication can decrease serum MDA content and neural deficit score more effectively than simple medication in treatment of acute cerebral infarction patients with phlegm syndrome.