OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the effect of limb functional exercises combined with Chinese medicine acupoint massage on the gastrointestinal and immune functions of elderly bedridden patients. METHOD(S): A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted to compare the effects of "limb functional exercise" (control group, n = 50) and "Chinese medicine acupoint massage combined with limb functional exercises" (observation group, n = 50) on the rehabilitation of elderly bedridden patients. The immune function index, gastrointestinal symptom score, quality of life score, perioperative stress injury, patient satisfaction, and the incidence of adverse reactions after the intervention were observed and recorded in the two groups of patients before and after the intervention. RESULT(S): There was no significant difference in the incidence of stress injuries and adverse reactions between the two groups during the perioperative period (p > 0.05). The satisfaction of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than it was in the control group (p < 0.05). After the treatment, the CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/ CD8+, IgA, and IgG levels in the observation group were significantly improved compared with the pre-treatment levels (p < 0.05). The CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, IgA, and IgG levels in the control group were also significantly improved compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05), but the CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+, IgA and IgG levels in the control group were not significantly improved before or after the treatment (p > 0.05). The gastrointestinal symptom scores after the treatment in both groups were significantly reduced (p < 0.0001), and the SF-36 scale and FuglMeyer Assessment Scale (FMA) scale scores were significantly increased compared with the pre-treatment scores (p < 0.0001, p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the gastrointestinal symptom scores of the patients in the observation group decreased more significantly after the treatment (p < 0.0001), and the SF-36 scale scores increased more significantly (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the FMA scores between the observation group and the control group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION(S): Limb functional exercises combined with Chinese medicine acupoint massage can significantly improve gastrointestinal function, nursing satisfaction, and the quality of life of elderly bedridden patients during hospitalization, and can significantly improve the patients' immune function. The immune function improvement may be related to the gastrointestinal function improvement.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PDF locator
• publisher