Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41458115›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025

Acupuncture combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

Xiaomeng Zhang, Jie Wang, Wen Pan, Jin Sun, Mingna He, Qinyun Wang, Peiyang Sun

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

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.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Xiaomeng Zhang *Second Clinical Medical College of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Jie Wang *Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Wen PanSecond Clinical Medical College of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Jin SunSecond Clinical Medical College of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Mingna HeSecond Clinical Medical College of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Qinyun WangSecond Clinical Medical College of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Peiyang SunSecond Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) through meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA), moreover to provide an evidence-based basis for the treatment of PSCI in clinical practice. Methods: The study conducted a comprehensive search of eight major domestic and international databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP and China Biology Medicine (CBM). Four English and four Chinese databases of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture combined with rTMS for the treatment of PSCI from inception until July 2025. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted based on the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan5.4 and Stata/MP 18.0, and trial sequential analyses were performed by TSA 0.9. Results: Sixteen RCTs involving 1,058 patients were included, including 532 patients in the experimental group and 526 patients in the control group. Meta-analysis results showed that the experimental group had a higher clinical effectiveness rate in treating patients with PSCI compared to the control group [RR = 1.29, 95% CI (1.08, 1.55), Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with rTMS can improve cognitive function, regulate daily living ability, and regulate neurotransmitter levels in patients with PSCI, which is worthy recommended in the clinic. However, due to limitations in sample size, inclusion quality and incomplete reporting, it is worth noting that more rigorously designed and high-quality studies are needed to further validate these conclusions.

Indexed as

acupuncturecognitive impairmentmeta-analysisrandomized controlled trialrepeated transcranial magnetic stimulationstrokeTSA

Identifiers

PMID41458115
PMCPMC12742397

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Registered trials

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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.