scholarly journals Efficacy of Scalp Acupuncture in Patients With Post-stroke Hemiparesis: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan-Ju Huang ◽  
Chih-Shan Huang ◽  
Kuo-Feng Leng ◽  
Jia-Ying Sung ◽  
Sheng-Wei Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Intracerebral Hemorrhage ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Standard Treatment ◽  
Brain Infarction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scalp Acupuncture ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Objectives: To conduct a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of scalp acupuncture (SA) in patients with stroke and consequent hemiparesis regardless of brain infarction or intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods: A literature search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on SA for stroke was performed in five databases up to May 10, 2021. We investigated three types of outcome: motor function, sequelae of poststroke hemiparesis, and adverse effects. Methodological quality was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool version 2.0.Results: Of 1,063 papers, 30 RCTs involving Fugl–Meyer Assessment were selected, among which 10 and four RCTs were selected for evaluation of courses lasting of 1 and 3 months, respectively. The meta-analysis of 1- and 3-month courses revealed significant differences in the motor function of the SA plus Western standard treatment group vs. Western standard treatment only (medication plus rehabilitation; P < 0.001). A 3-month course tended to result in better outcomes than a 1-month course.Conclusions: Our meta-analysis results reveal that SA improves motor function in patients with acute to chronic stroke, regardless of brain infarction or intracerebral hemorrhage. However, because of a lack of methodological quality, thoroughly planned clinical studies are still required.

scholarly journals Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation Combined Therapy May Improve Chemotherapy Efficacy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaming Wu ◽  
Yun Liu ◽  
Cantu Fang ◽  
Lixian Zhao ◽  
Lizhu Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Combined Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Objective Response ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation

Background. Whether traditional Chinese medicine preparation combined therapy can improve the efficacy of chemotherapy is controversial. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine preparation combined with chemotherapy. Method. Three databases were searched from inception through August 2018. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving the combined treatment of chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine preparation compared to chemotherapy alone for treating cancer were retrieved. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was assessed with Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias assessment tool. Meta-analysis was adopted to make comprehensive comparisons between the experimental and control groups. Results. Four RCTs were included in this review, comprising 256 subjects. The majority of the RCTs were judged as being of poor methodological quality. Meta-analysis showed that the combination of traditional Chinese medicine preparation and chemotherapy appeared to be more effective than chemotherapy alone, for the treatment of cancer, as assessed by the disease control rate (RR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.79) and the objective response rate (RR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.28 to 5.77). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of bone marrow suppression (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.57 to 1.37) or gastrointestinal reaction (RR: 1.12, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.69). Conclusions. Traditional Chinese medicine preparation combined with chemotherapy may improve objective response rates and disease control rates more than chemotherapy alone. The evidence that combined traditional Chinese medicine preparation can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy is insufficient. More rigorous randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these conclusions.

scholarly journals Efficacy and Safety of Sinomenine Preparation for Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Randomized Controlled Trials

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Shan-Shan Lin ◽  
Chun-Xiang Liu ◽  
Jun-Hua Zhang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Jing-Bo Zhai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ankylosing Spondylitis ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Morning Stiffness ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference

Objectives. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of sinomenine preparation (SP) for treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods. Clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of SP for treating AS were systematically identified in six electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Databases from the inception up to 31 October 2019. Cochrane’s risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality and Review Manager 5.3 software was used to analyze data. Results. A total of 12 RCTs involving 835 patients were finally included. According to interventions, RCTs were divided into two types. The intervention in 10 RCTs was SP combined with conventional pharmacotherapy (CPT) versus CPT and that in 2 RCTs was SP alone versus CPT. The results of the meta-analysis showed that, compared with CPT alone, SP combined with oral CPT has better improvement in BASDAI (WMD = −1.84, 95% CI [−3.31, −0.37], P=0.01), morning stiffness time (WMD = −13.46, 95% CI [−16.12, −10.79], P<0.00001), the Schober test (WMD = 1.26, 95% CI [0.72, 1.80], P<0.00001), the occipital wall test (WMD = −0.55, 95% CI [−0.96, −0.14], P=0.009), the finger-to-ground distance (WMD = −3.28, 95% CI [−5.64, −0.93], P=0.006), 15 m walking time (WMD = −8.81, 95% CI [−13.42, −4.20], P=0.0002), the C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD = −1.84, 95% CI [−3.24, −0.45], P=0.01), and the total effective rate (RR = 1.10, 95% CI [1.01, 1.20], P=0.03). Besides, it also showed that oral SP alone may be more effective in improving morning stiffness time (WMD = −31.89, 95% CI [−34.91, −28.87], P<0.00001) compared with CPT alone. However, this study cannot provide evidence that loading the injectable SP based on CPT can significantly increase the efficacy due to the insufficient number of studies included. In terms of adverse events, there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental group and the control group. Conclusions. This study shows that oral SP may be effective and safe in the treatment of AS. Due to the low methodological quality of the included RCTs and the limitations of the meta-analysis, it is still necessary to carry out more multicenter, large-sample, and high-quality RCTs to further verify the conclusions. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018099170), and the review was constructed following the PRISMA guidelines (Annex 1).

scholarly journals The Effect of Acupuncture on Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Profiles in Patients with PCOS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ruqun Zheng ◽  
Peng Qing ◽  
Mei Han ◽  
Jinlong Song ◽  
Min Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Metabolism ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Plasma Glucose ◽  
Fasting Plasma Glucose ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Fasting Insulin ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on glucose metabolism and lipid profiles in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods. Databases, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were searched for the relevant literature, with the retrieval deadline being February 2020. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted the data and validated the results. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated with the risk of bias tool, and the meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.3.5 software. Results. A total of 737 patients with PCOS from 10 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. A pooled analysis showed significant decreases in body mass index (mean difference (MD) = –1.47, 95% CI –2.35 to –0.58, P  < 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (MD = –0.04, 95% CI [–0.06, –0.02], P  < 0.001) in the acupuncture group along with significant improvements in fasting plasma glucose (MD = –0.38, 95% CI [–0.70, –0.07], P = 0.02), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (MD = –0.22, 95% CI [–0.41, –0.02], P  = 0.03), and triglycerides (MD = –0.26, 95% CI [–0.48, –0.04], P  = 0.02). No significant differences were observed in the Ferriman–Gallwey score, 2 h fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, 2 h fasting insulin, serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusion. Acupuncture is relatively effective and safe in improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with PCOS. The included studies were generally of not bad methodological quality, but further large-scale, long-term randomized controlled trials with rigorous methodological standards are still warranted.

scholarly journals The effectiveness and safety of cupping therapy for stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-112
Author(s):  
Mikyung Kim ◽  
Chang-ho Han
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Standard Mean Difference

Objectives: ncluding stroke. The aim of this study was to systematically review the clinical evidence of CT for stroke.Methods: To identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the effectiveness and/or safety of CT, seven databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for articles published from January 2000 to February 2021 without language restrictions. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software and the results were presented as mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD) for continuous variables and odds ratio (OR) for diverse variables with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Assessment of the methodological quality of the eligible trials was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for risk of bias in RCTs.Results: Twenty-two RCTs with 1653 participants were included in the final analysis. CT provided additional benefit in improving upper limb motor function (Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper limb motor function, MD 6.91, 95% CI 4.64 to 1.67, P<0.00001) and spasticity (response rate, OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.31 to 8.22, P=0.08) in stroke survivors receiving conventional medical treatment. These findings were supported with a moderate level of evidence. CT did not significantly increase the occurrence of adverse events.Conclusions: This study demonstrated the potential of CT to be beneficial in managing a variety of complications in stroke survivors. However, to compensate for the shortcomings of the existing evidence, rigorously designed large-scale RCTs are warranted in the future.

Abstract WP349: Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Investigating Blood-Pressure Lowering for Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregoire Boulouis ◽  
Andrea Morotti ◽  
Joshua N Goldstein ◽  
Andreas Charidimou
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Standard Treatment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Class I ◽  
Hematoma Expansion ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess whether intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering in acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) patients is safe and effective in improving clinical outcomes. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane databases for relevant RCTs and calculated pooled odds ratios (OR) for 3-month mortality (safety outcome) and 3-month death or dependency (efficacy outcome), in acute ICH patients randomized to either intensive BP-lowering vs. standard BP lowering treatment protocols. We also investigated the association between treatment arm and significant ICH expansion at 24h. Random effects models with DerSimonian-Laird weights were used. Results: Five eligible studies including 4360 acute ICH patients were pooled in meta-analysis. The risk of 3-month mortality was similar between patients randomized to intensive BP-lowering treatment vs. standard BP-lowering treatment (OR: 0.99; 95%CI: 0.82-1.20, p=0.909). Intensive BP-lowering treatment showed a (non-significant) trend for an association with lower 3-month death or dependency risk compared to standard treatment (OR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.80-1.02), p=0.106). Intensive BP-reduction was associated with a trend for lower risk of significant ICH expansion compared to standard treatment (OR: 0.82; 95%CI: 0.68-1.00, p=0.056), especially in larger RCTs. Conclusion: For acute ICH patients similar to those included in RCTs and without contraindication to acute BP treatment, intensive acute BP-lowering is safe (Class I; Level of Evidence A), but does not seem to provide an incremental clinical benefit in terms of functional outcomes (Class I; Level of Evidence B). The effect of intensive BP-lowering on significant hematoma expansion at 24 hours warrants further investigation.

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