AIM: To investigate the clinical efficacy of electro-acupuncture (EA) for neurofunctional recovery and plasm neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the patients with acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HIH). METHODS: (1) A total of 60 hospitalized patients with acute HIH treated in the Department of Neurology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Yunyang Medical College from August 2004 to October 2005 were randomly divided into two groups: treatment group (n = 30, male 16, female 14) and control group (n = 30, male 17, female 13). All the patients with less than 40 mL bleeding volume were diagnosed by CT and/or MRI within 3 to 24 hours after onset and were informed by written allowance to accept this study. (2) The patients of control group accepted symptomatic treatment while the patients of treatment group were treated with EA plus symptomatic treatment. EA treatment included leading scalp acupuncture (main acupoints: Shuigou (DU26), Taiyang (Extra), BaiHui (DU20), Fengfu (DU16), Yamen (DU15) and Shangxing (DU23) and assistant body acupuncture (upper limb acupoints: Quchi (LI11), Shousanli (LI10), Waiguan (SJ5), Hegu (LI4), Zhongzhu (SJ3); lower limb acupoints: Huantiao (GB30), Yanglingquan (GB34), Zusanli (ST36), Jiexi (ST41), Fengshi (GB31) and Kunlun (Bl60)) in paralysis body with EA therapeutic machine (made by Shanhai Huayi Medical Device Co Ltd, typical code G6805-2A). Ea parameters consisted of density spacing wave, remained 20 to 30 minutes once and one time per day continuously for ten days as a course, and released 3 days per 10 days. (3) Neurological deficits were measured before treatment, and at 2, 4 weeks after treatment respectively (totally 45 points: mild degree deficit 0 to 15, middle degree deficit 16 to 30, and severe degree deficit 31 to 45). The curative effects were evaluated by the reduced scores of neurological deficits: almost recovery 91% to 100%, obviously improvement 46% to 90% and improvement 18% to 45%; effective ratio = (number of almost recovered patients + number of obviously improved patients)/total number of patients x 100%. Plasm NSW was detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method provided by Peking Bangding Biological Medical Company. (4) The significant differences between two groups were tested with t test for sample mean and analysis of variance for repeated measurement. RESULTS: All 60 patients with acute HIH were involved into the result analysis. (1) Curative effect: Effective rate of treatment group was obviously higher than that of control group (80%, 53%, Chi2 = 4.800, p < 0.05. (2) Scores of neurological deficits: the differences between treatment group and control group were insignificant before treatment (19.6 +/- 6.2, 11.5 +/- 3.5 points; control group 16.6 +/- 6.4, 13.6 +/- 4.4 points, F = 46.352, 22.547, p < 0.01, 0.05). Compared with control group, the scores of treatment group were not different at 2 weeks after treatment (p > 0.05), but was significantly lower at 4 weeks after treatment (t = 2.045 8, p < 0.05). (3) Plasm NSW level: At 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, plasm NSW level of treatment group reduced significantly compared with those before treatment (14.5 +/- 4.2, 12.6 +/- 3, 19.7 +/- 6.3, F = 67.56, p < 0.01). The plasm NSW level of treatment group was identical as that of control group before treatment (p > 0.05), but significantly lower than that of control group at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment (treatment group 14.5 +/- 4.2, 12.6 +/- 3.5 points; control group 17.3 +/- 4.6, 14.8 +/- 3.7 points, t = 2.462, 2.365 9, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA treatment can reduce plasm NSW level and accelerate the recovery of neural function in the patients with acute HIH.

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