Comparing Effectiveness of Integrative Care [Acupuncture and Modern Medical Rehabilitation (MMR)] and MMR for the Stroke Patients in Rajavithi Hospital, June-Sep 2000 Chumkasian P. Department of Rehabilitation Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Bull Dept Thai Trad.Med. and Alternt. Med. 2005;3(1):3-15 This study aims to compare the effectiveness of integrative care (IC) [acupuncture and modern medical rehabilitation(MMR)] and MMR only for all the stroke patients (69 cases) who has been consulted to the department of Rehabilitation, during June-September 2000, 25 cases were registered to the project. Methodology is a prospective case (IC)- control (MMR) study, the patients and relatives chosen the program by themselves, all the patients got the standard rehabilitation program (MMR) 10 times in 2 weeks, in the same period, the Integrative care group were added acupuncture program 6 times in 2 weeks. Before and after the program, the stroke outcome was measured to compare the effectiveness of IC and MMR, by 2 variables; Scandinavian Stroke Scale score (SSS) for severity and Modified EuroQOLscore (QOL) for Quality of Life. The result was that only 6 patients (3 in each group) could complete the program, the mean effectiveness of SSS and QOL in IC/MMR groups were 75.69% / 25.64% and 107% / 84.26% respectively, the effectiveness trend was higher in IC group, but not statistical significant due to small size of cases.

KEY WORDS: effectiveness, acupuncture, stroke, rehabilitation