Pilot Scheme of Health Policy in Stroke Adjuvant Acupuncture Therapy for Acute and Subacute Ischemic Stroke in Taiwan
Table 1
Clinical characteristics.
HPSAAT participants ()
Matched control : non HPSAAT ()
-value
(a) Demographics
Age, years*
70.2 (11.3)
70.2 (11.1)
Matched
Sex, male**
16 (61.5)
32 (61.5)
Matched
Body mass index, kg/m2*
23.5 (3.2)
23.8 (3.6)
Stroke ever**
14 (53.8)
26 (50.0)
Stroke type**
Ischemic
23 (88.5)
50 (96.2)
Ischemic with hemorrhagic transformation
3 (11.1)
2 (3.7)
Stroke lesion site**
Right cerebral hemisphere
5 (19.2)
16 (30.8)
Left cerebral hemisphere
8 (30.8)
15 (28.8)
Cerebellum
0 (0.0)
2 (3.8)
Brain stem
5 (19.2)
11 (21.2)
Multiple infarcts (≥2 of above)
8 (30.8)
8 (15.4)
Risk factors of stroke**
Hypertension
20 (76.9)
33 (63.5)
Diabetes mellitus
14 (53.8)
25 (48.1)
Hypertriglyceridemia
7 (26.9)
10 (19.2)
Hypercholesterolemia
11 (42.3)
17 (32.7)
Atrial fibrillation
5 (19.2)
6 (11.5)
Coronary artery disease
5 (19.2)
4 (7.7)
Congestive heart failure
0 (0.0)
1 (1.9)
Cigarette smoking
6 (23.1)
16 (30.8)
Obesity
7 (31.8)
14 (33.3)
(b) Patients’ source, treatment course, and disposition
Patient source**
Emergency room
20 (76.9)
39 (75.0)
Referred from other hospital
3 (11.5)
4 (7.7)
Outpatients
1 (3.8)
9 (17.3)
Referred from other ward in hospital
2 (7.7)
0 (0.0)
Timescale of treatment, days*
Onset to ward
2.9 (4.7)
2.3 (3.1)
Onset to acupuncture
17.7 (14.4)
—
Duration of acupuncture†
17.4 (16.2)
—
Acupuncture session, times
6.7 (6.4)
—
Interval of acupuncture sessions
2.9 (1.5)
—
Length of stay, days*,‡
In NICU
11.6 (14.1)
2.2 (4.7)
<.01
In neurology ward
19.2 (8.6)
11.6 (12.7)
<.01
In RCC
2.0 (5.5)
0.0 (0.0)
Total
32.9 (21.9)
13.8 (16.1)
<.001
Disposition**,‡
Home
16 (64.0)
46 (95.8)
.001
Rehabilitation ward
4 (16.0)
0 (0.0)
<.05
Traditional Chinese medicine ward
1 (4.0)
0 (0.0)
Long-term care unit§
5 (20.0)
2 (4.2)
<.05
(c) Medical resource use**
Received r-tPA
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
Ever NICU stay
17 (65.4)
15 (28.8)
<.01
Craniectomy or shunt implantation
2 (7.7)
0 (0.0)
Mechanical ventilation
4 (15.4)
2 (3.8)
Received bedside physical therapy
24 (92.3)
28 (53.8)
.001
*Data are given as mean (SD). **Data are given as number (percentage). †Mortality was excluded (case = 0, control = 3). ‡Mortality (case = 0, control = 3) and patients with recurrent stroke during admission (case = 1, control = 1) were excluded. §Long-term care unit included local hospital and nursing home. Abbreviation: HPSAAT: the Pilot Scheme of the Health Policy in Stroke Adjuvant Acupuncture Therapy. NICU: neurology intensive care unit. RCC: respiratory care center. r-tPA: thrombolytic therapy.
