SynthesisClinical rehabilitation2026
Efficacy of botulinum toxin for poststroke lower limb: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Clinical rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
ObjectiveThis review aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of botulinum toxin in the treatment of spasticity and the improvement of lower limb function in adult stroke survivors, based on randomized clinical trials.Data sourcesSearches were conducted across multiple databases, including Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and Cochrane, from inception until September 2025.Review MethodThis systematic review and meta-analysis was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5 software, with mean differences pooled using a random-effects model.ResultsThe analysis included 11 studies, with a total of 1740 adult participants. The results confirm that botulinum toxin is effective in reducing spasticity; however, the benefits on other outcomes, namely gait and balance, were limited and inconsistent. Considerable heterogeneity was also observed in intervention protocols, participant characteristics, dosing regimens, and the selection of target muscle groups.ConclusionIt is recommended that future studies prioritize the inclusion of subgroups and medium- and long-term follow-up. Only in this way will it be possible to clarify the true efficacy of botulinum toxin in different patient profiles and to contribute to the optimization of lower limb rehabilitation strategies after stroke.
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Registered trials
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