SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Acupuncture effects of post-stroke thalamic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effectiveness of adjunctive herbal medicine in the management of post-stroke thalamic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with acupuncture on central pain and mood.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture-Related Therapies for Central Post-Stroke Pain: An Umbrella Review.Journal of pain research · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Post-stroke thalamic pain (PS-TP), a common form of central pain, is characterized by hyperalgesia and abnormal sensations in the contralateral affected area. Acupuncture treatment has shown increasing promise in treating PS-TP in recent years. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for PS-TP. Methods: According to the established search strategy, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture therapy for PS-TP were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases as well as two clinical trial registration platforms, up to February 2024. Outcome measures included the total efficacy rate, visual analogue scale (VAS), present pain intensity score (PPI), pain rating index (PRI), β-endorphin (β-EP), substance P (SP) and adverse reactions. Sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to identify the sources of heterogeneity. We evaluated the evidence quality of outcomes via the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) rating system and performed trial sequential analyses using TSA software. Results: The final inclusion comprised 12 articles, which involved 953 patients. Meta-analysis results indicated that acupuncture treatment for PS-TP was more effective than conventional medical treatment in reducing VAS scores [MD = -1.11, 95% CI (-1.33, -0.88), p = 0.002], PPI scores [MD = -0.65, 95% CI (-1.13, -0.16), p = 0.009], and PRI scores [MD = -1.02, 95% CI (-1.41, -0.63), p < 0.00001]. Additionally, acupuncture treatment for PS-TP was superior to the conventional medical treatment in increasing plasma β-EP levels [MD = 8.83, 95% CI (5.42, 12.25), p < 0.00001], and reducing SP levels [MD = -4.75, 95% CI (-7.11, -2.40), p < 0.0001]. Regarding the total efficacy rate, acupuncture treatment was superior to the conventional medical treatment in treating PS-TP [RR = 1.24, 95% CI (1.17, 1.31), p < 0.00001]. The incidence of adverse events was lower in acupuncture treatment than in conventional medical treatment [RR = 0.43, 95% CI (0.14, 1.32), p = 0.03]. The GRADE assessment indicated that the quality of evidence for all outcome measures ranged from moderate to very low. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) results provided compelling evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in treating PS-TP. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment emerges as a potentially efficacious and safe treatment option for PS-TP. In the future, more large-sample, high-quality RCTs are needed to provide primarily high-level evidence in evidence-based medicine regarding the safety and sustained effects of acupuncture treatment for PS-TP. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024498698, identifier CRD42024498698.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.