Clinical observation of warming needle therapy combined with Chinese medication in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment due to obstruction of wind-phlegm

To observe the effects of warming needle therapy combined with the modified Hua Tan Tong Luo Tang (decoction for dissipating phlegm and unblocking collaterals) on post-stroke cognitive impairment due to obstruction of wind-phlegm.

A total of 78 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group, with 39 patients in each group. Both groups received conventional treatment. The control group was additionally treated with the modified Hua Tan Tong Luo Tang, while the observation group received warming needle therapy in addition to the treatment given to the control group. Scores on the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), and activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse reactions and clinical efficacy were analyzed and compared between the two groups after treatment.

The total effective rate was 82.1% in the observation group and 61.5% in the control group, showing statistical significance between the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the MMSE, MoCA, and ADL scores of both groups were significantly higher than those before treatment within each group (P<0.05). Notably, the scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). No adverse reactions occurred in either group during the treatment period.

Based on the conventional treatment, compared to modified Hua Tan Tong Luo Tang alone, warming needle therapy combined with the modified Hua Tan Tong Luo Tang showed superior clinical efficacy in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment due to obstruction of wind-phlegm, and this combined therapy also showed high safety.