AIM: To probe into multifactor influence on the rehabilitation of patients with cerebral infarction by acupuncture treatment. METHODS: To tally 63 in-patients of Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine between October 2002 and November 2003 were recruited. Patients were randomly grouped according to orthogonal design, which was the four factors of times of manipulation (factor A), the time of retaining needle (factor B), acupuncture instrument (factor C), different acupoints (factor D) and their corresponding levels were adopted respectively in each group (factor A included no manipulation, manipulation once and manipulation twice; Factor B included 30, 60 and 90 minutes; factor C included number 28, 30 and 32; factor C was DU meridian mainly, scalp acupuncture mainly and Yangming meridian mainly). It is based on acupuncture science, which was teaching material of traditional Chinese medicine edited by Sun Guo-jie, for the acupuncture protocol of Scalp acupuncture group and Yangming meridian group, location of acupoint and the depth of inserting in all groups. The acupoints in the group of adjusting DU meridian mainly were as following: Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (Du26), Fenfu (DU16), Houxi (SI3), Neiguan (PC6), Tongli (HT5), Yang lingquan (GB34), and Taixi (KI3). Acupoints in scalp acupuncture was located in the focus side, but other acupoint located in the limbs of paralysis. After routine sterilization, needle, Huatuo brand, was inserted into acupoint by means of slowly twist. In each treatment, 30 times of treatments was one course, with once per day and one day interval per 6 times of treatment. Assessment of effect was based on attenuation of nerve function deficiency score after treatment. The nerve function deficiency score and Barthel Index score were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were very markedly influence for factor A (manipulation twice) and D (DU meridian mainly) on nerve function deficiency score and Barthel Index (p < 0.01). For facore B (60 minutes), obvious influence on nerve function deficiency score (p < 0.05) but very markedly influence on Barthel Index (p < 0.01). Factor D was the most important one, and then followed by factor A and B in turn. The optimum acupuncture treatment was the method of adjusting DU meridian mainly with twice manipulations and 60 minutes of retaining needle. CONCLUSION: The curative effect of stroke is affected by many factors, in which, acupoint, the time of manipulation and the time of retaining needle are the major factors influencing the treatment of stoke with acupuncture. The choice of acupoint is the major influencing factor.

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