SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Efficacy of elongated needles for motor and balance function after a stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Early Integration of Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation Improves Functional Outcomes in Stroke Patients: A Prospective Pragmatic Study and Nested Case-Control Analysis.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2026Trial
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of elongated needle therapy in improving motor and balance functions after stroke, to inform its clinical adoption in rehabilitation. Methods and Analysis: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medicine, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang, and VIP from inception to May 1, 2024, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing elongated needles for post-stroke limb movement and balance dysfunction. Primary outcomes were balance and motor ability; secondary outcomes included Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and adverse events. Meta-analysis used RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16.0. Heterogeneity was explored via subgroup/meta-regression/sensitivity analyses (if significant). Two reviewers independently assessed bias risk using Cochrane tools. Outcome quality was evaluated with GRADE. Results: This meta-analysis included 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), encompassing a total of 1,230 subjects. The results indicated that elongated needles, utilized either as a solo intervention or in conjunction with other modalities, markedly enhanced balance capabilities in stroke patients when compared to conventional acupuncture, rehabilitation training, oral Chinese medicine, and alternative therapies including electroacupuncture and acupoint sticking (MD = 6.34, Conclusion: Evidence from current studies indicates that elongated needle may improve post-stroke patients' balance and motor function, and enhance their daily living skills. However, the number of rigorous scientific studies is limited, and there is considerable variability across studies, limiting the confidence in these findings. Therefore, the clinical effectiveness of this treatment still requires additional validation. It is imperative to conduct more high-quality, large-scale, multi-center RCTs that conform to international guidelines to establish the efficacy of this therapy's clinical applications. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024542151.
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Registered trials
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