Effect of Respiratory Training Combined with High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Respiratory Function and Neurological Function in Patients with Cerebral Infarction

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-3245.2025.04.033

Abstract：Objective To investigate the effect of respiratory training combined with high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on respiratory function and neurological function in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods A total of 116 patients with cerebral infarction treated at The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from March 2021 to March 2024 were selected and randomly divided into a control group (58 cases) and an observation group (58 cases) using a random number table method. The control group received conventional rehabilitation training and high-frequency rTMS treatment, while the observation group received additional respiratory training on top of the control group's treatment. Both groups received treatment for 4 consecutive weeks. The clinical efficacy after treatment was compared between the two groups; respiratory function indicators [Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)], NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scores, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scores for upper and lower limbs and total score were compared before and after treatment. Results After treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 94.83%, higher than that of the control group (79.31%), with a statistically significant difference (χ²=6.202, P<0.05). After treatment, the FEV1 [(3.87±0.42)L vs. (3.12±0.43)L], PEF [(6.37±0.65)L/s vs. (5.48±0.62)L/s], and FVC [(4.51±0.44)L vs. (3.62±0.41)L] of the observation group were higher than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (t=9.503, 7.546, 11.270, P<0.05). The ADL score [(75.43±6.84) points vs. (63.94±6.15) points], FMA upper limb score [(38.82±4.64) points vs. (33.78±4.23) points], FMA lower limb score [(25.76±3.49) points vs. (21.97±2.86) points], and FMA total score [(63.97±6.38) points vs. (54.83±6.75) points] of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (t=9.513, 6.113, 6.397, 7.489, P<0.05), while the NIHSS score [(10.33±2.54) points vs. (13.72±3.29) points] was lower, with a statistically significant difference (F=6.213, P<0.05). Conclusion The treatment of cerebral infarction with respiratory training combined with high-frequency rTMS shows significant efficacy, effectively improving patients' respiratory function, neurological function, and motor ability, and enhancing their quality of life.