SynthesisFrontiers in aging neuroscience2025
Effect of various acupuncture courses for upper limb motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Combined noninvasive brain stimulation and acupuncture for post-stroke motor recovery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Acupuncture has been widely used in the treatment of post-ischemic stroke upper limb motor dysfunction (PIS-ULMD). However, previous studies have reported substantial variability in acupuncture courses, and the lack of a clearly defined optimal course has impeded further improvement in therapeutic outcomes. Studies show that treatment course is a key factor in acupuncture's dose-effect relationship. The Specification of Formulation and Evaluation for the Clinical Practice Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion [CAAM-2019(001)], issued by the China Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (CAAM), points out that current domestic acupuncture clinical practice guidelines lack evidence-based temporal parameters, resulting in clinicians' reliance on personal experience and inconsistent treatment outcomes. Herein, we conducted network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of diverse acupuncture courses for PIS-ULMD treatment. Methods: Ten databases were searched from their inception to March 21, 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for PIS-ULMD were screened. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias (RoB 2) tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. The primary outcome was the change in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) scale before and after treatment. All meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3, STATA (V14.0) and Aggregate Data Drug Information System (ADDIS) (V1.16.6). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was applied to evaluate the quality of evidence for each outcome measure. Results: A total of 67 RCTs involving 5,635 PIS-ULMD patients were included. The pairwise meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture combined with conventional therapy resulted in higher FMA-UE scores compared to conventional therapy alone ( Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with conventional therapy significantly improves upper limb motor function in PIS-ULMD patients. For enhancing upper limb motor function, an 8-week acupuncture regimen may be more appropriate, particularly for patients in the subacute phase and severe PIS-ULMD. However, the overall evidence quality was low, it is recommended additional well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes to validate these findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, Identifier CRD420251022808.
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