SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Efficacy and safety of moxibustion treatment for upper extremity pain disorder and motor impairment in patients with stage I post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome: 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 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses 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
5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Comparative effectiveness of non-invasive interventions for stage I post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Pooled it
- Summary of the best evidence for physical therapy in patients with post-stroke shoulder hand syndrome.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Basic and clinical research on acupuncture for post-stroke depression: A narrative review.World journal of methodology · 2026Review
- Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting the risk of shoulder-hand syndrome after ischemic stroke: a retrospective study.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2026Article
- Efficacy of infrared irradiation at predefined acupoints combined with task-oriented training as a rehabilitation strategy in cerebral infarction patients with hemiplegia.Frontiers in neurologyArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Upper extremity pain disorder and motor impairment (UE-PDMI) in patients with stage I post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) is a common neurological comorbidity. Current interventions are with effect limitations or side effects. Moxibustion is utilized as an integrative treatment for UE-PDMI. A novel meta-analysis should be performed due to the increasing number of relevant randomized controlled trials published recently. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of moxibustion treatment for UE-PDMI. Methods: Eight databases, including the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), SinoMed database, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP) and WanFang database, were systematically searched, from their inception through May 15 2024, to identify potentially relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on moxibustion for UE-PDMI in SHS patients. The data from the eligible RCTs was extracted by two independent investigators. The RevMan software (version 5.4.1) was employed for conducting the meta-analysis. The online GRADEpro tool was applied for rating the quality of evidence. Results: A total of 32 RCTs, involving 2,814 patients with UE-PDMI, were included. The favorable results were considered to be reflected by reduced scores on a visual analog scale (VAS) (mean difference [MD] = -1.68, 95% CI - 2.08, -1.28, Conclusion: This study demonstrates that moxibustion as an adjuvant therapy may play a positive role in relieving pain and improving upper extremity motor function for patients with stage I SHS, given its convenience in generating prolonged effects in communities. However, a larger number of rigorously designed, pre-registered RCTs are highly needed to verify its clinical efficacy with a higher level of certainty. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier [CRD42024601605].
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