Table 1.
EA period-dependent protection against ischemic injury.
| Groups | Neurological deficit | Infarct volume | Death rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ischemia | 6.0 ± 0.5 (5 ~ 7) (n = 37) | 32.8% ± 3.7% (n = 16) | 18% (8 out of 45) |
| EA-5 min | 5.0 ± 0.5 (4 ~ 6) (n = 16)∗▲ | 25.6% ± 5.3% (n = 12)∗▲ | 11% (2 out of 18)∗∗▲ |
| EA-15 min | 3.0 ± 0.5 (2 ~ 4) (n = 15)∗∗▲ | 15.4% ± 4.2% (n = 12)∗∗▲ | 6% (1 out of 16)∗∗▲ |
| EA-30 min | 1.0 ± 0.5 (0 ~ 2) (n = 28)∗∗▲ | 4.9% ± 1.2% (n = 12)∗∗▲ | 7% (2 out of 30)∗∗▲ |
| EA-45 min | 7.0 ± 0.0 (~7) (n = 12)* | 34.3% ± 2.4% (n = 12) | 60% (18 out of 30)** |
*P < 0.05 versus Ischemia. **P < 0.01 versus Ischemia. ▲ P < 0.01 versus EA-45 min. Note that EA significantly reduced the infarct volume, neurological deficit, and death rate and this protective effect became better and better when the length of EA increased from 5 to 30 minutes. However, EA for 45 mins did not improve the neurological deficit and infarct volume and even increased the death rate.