Clinical study of ligustrazine combined with radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy in stroke patients with upper limb spasticity

Upper limb spasticity is a common and serious sequelae in patients with hemiplegia after stroke. Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) can improve upper limb dysfunction and relieve pain in patients, However, its efficacy as a single treatment is limited. In traditional Chinese medicine, Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is the main pharmacological component of Ligusticum chuanxiong. It exhibits significant effects on the prevention and treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, protecting against cascade reaction-induced damage. This study encompassed 120 stroke patients with upper limb spasticity and limited elbow mobility who were admitted to the Second Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai from March 2021 to March 2023. They were divided into 3 groups: A rESWT group received rESWT, a TMP group received TMP and a Coalition group received TMP combined with rESWT. Statistical analysis and evaluation were conducted using SPSS 29.0. The research findings revealed that compared with the rESWT group and TMP group, the Coalition group showed more significant improvements in FMA, MAS, VAS scores, spasticity of elbow flexors, NIHSS and BI scores after 4 weeks of treatment. The combination of rESWT and TMP can enhance spasticity in stroke patients with upper limb spasticity, alleviated pain, and improved motor function and neurological functions.