[The first use of external counterpulsation for the rehabilitation treatment of post-stroke patients].
: External counterpulsation (ECP) - is a non-invasive method of treatment providing the increase of perfusion pressure in coronary and cerebral arteries during diastole and the decrease of vascular resistance during systole. Efficacy of this method in the early rehabilitation period of ischemic stroke was studied for the first-time in Russian Federation. Twenty-six patients, aged 65,9+/-8,7 years, who survived stroke 58--115 (mean 81,6+/-15,6) days ago, were examined. Patients of group 1 (n=7) received 17 sessions of ECP, patients of group 2 (n=9) -- 35 sessions, patients of group 3 -- standard basic therapy without ECP. The maximal effect estimated as the increase of power in paretic extremities by 24,3%, decrease of spasticity by 69,6% and higher Barthel index scores (by 6,9%) as well as the increase of blood flow through inner carotid arteries by 24% (p<0,05) and spine arteries by 14% (p<0,05) were found in group 2. Side-effects of the treatment were not observed.