To explore the efficacy of citicoline combined with conventional western medicine in convalescence patients with middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke and its influence on cerebral blood flow.

One hundred and thirty-four conventional patients with middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke from July 2018 to December 2021 admitted in Geriatrics Department of Bozhou People's Hospital were selected, and they were divided into the experimental group and the conventional group through the random number table, with 67 cases in each group. Both groups were given western medicine (aspirin enteric-coated tablets, butylphthalide soft capsules), carried out routine rehabilitation training and controlled blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipid, while citicoline were added to the experimental group on the basis of the conventional group. The National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) scores, the changes of cerebral blood flow parameters of middle cerebral artery [mean cerebral blood flow velocity (Vm), mean cerebral blood flow (CBF), pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI)] and the levels of serum inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] before and after treatment, clinical efficacy and the incidences of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.

After treatment, the NIHSS scores, PI and RI of middle cerebral artery and the levels of serum IL-6, MCP-1, hs-CRP and TNF-α of the two groups were lower than those before treatment, but the Vm and CBF of middle cerebral artery were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the NIHSS score, PI and RI of middle cerebral artery and the levels of serum IL-6, MCP-1, hs-CRP and TNF-α in the experimental group were lower than those in the conventional group (P<0.05), but the Vm and CBF of middle cerebral artery were higher than those in the conventional group (P < 0.05). The D-values before and after treatment of the NIHSS score, blood flow parameters of middle cerebral artery (Vm, CBF, PI, RI) and serum inflammatory factors (IL-6, MCP-1, hs-CRP, TNF-α) in the experimental group were greater than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the experimental group (94.03%) was higher than that of the conventional group (82.09%) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the both groups (P>0.05).

Citicoline combined with other western medicine in the treatment of convalescence patients with middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke can reduce neurological deficit scores and inflammatory factor levels, improve the cerebral blood flow of middle cerebral artery, enhance clinical efficacy, and have good safety.