Effects of acupuncture plus MOTOmed intelligent motor training in treating children with spastic cerebral palsy

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus MOTOmed intelligent motor training in treating children with spastic cerebral palsy, and analyze the effects on lower limb motor function, intelligence development level, immune function and cerebral hemodynamics. Methods A total of 42 children with spastic cerebral palsy were selected as the observation objects, and enrolled into the observation group. Another 42 cases treated in the same period were selected as the control group. Both groups received MOTOmed intelligent motor training, and the observation group was given additional acupuncture therapy, and the control group was given additional conventional rehabilitation treatment. After 2 consecutive treatment courses, the psychomotor development index (PDI) and mental development index (MDI) of Children's Developmental Center of China (CDCC) scale, the scores of gross motor function measure (GMFM) scale and modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and the changes in CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) were observed. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and mean flow velocity (MFV) of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) were observed and measured. The clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results Compared with the same group before treatment, the scores of GMFM, PDI and MDI, levels of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+), PSV and MFV levels of ACA, MCA and PCA in both groups were significantly increased after treatment (all P<0.05), while the CD8(+) level had no significant change (both P>0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate of lower limb spasm in the observation group was 90.5%, significantly higher than 71.4% in the control group (P<0.05). The scores of GMFM, PDI and MDI, the levels of CD3(+) and CD4(+), PSV and MFV, and the levels of ACA, MCA and PCA in the observation group were all significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the CD8(+) level and CD4(+)/CD8(+) between the groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture plus MOTOmed intelligent motor training has a better clinical efficacy than conventional rehabilitation plus MOTOmed intelligent motor training in treating children with spastic cerebral palsy, and is also superior in improving lower limb motor function and the level of intellectual development. And the mechanism may be related to the improvement of cerebral hemodynamics.