Does acupuncture therapy improve language function of patients with aphasia following ischemic stroke? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Aphasia is one of the most common complications in patients with ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that acupuncture can improve the symptoms of aphasia patients. However, the effect of acupuncture on language function in patients with ischemic stroke is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to critically assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for aphasia following ischemic stroke. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science Core Collection, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Digital Periodicals, and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals database were searched. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the criteria were included. RESULTS: Meta-analyses showed that mean difference in change of auditory comprehension score (MD = 7.71, 95% CI: 1.83 to 13.59, P = 0.01), spontaneous speech (MD = 2.77, 95% CI: 0.59 to 4.95, P = 0.01), repetition score (MD = 14.48, 95% CI: 11.04 to 17.91, P < 0.00001) and naming score (MD = 14.60, 95% CI: 11.33 to 17.88, P < 0.00001) measured by WAB scale were statistically significant. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that there were statistically significant mean differences in four items of WAB scale in patients with sub-acute stroke, and no statistically significant differences in patients with acute stroke. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that acupuncture may improve the language function of patients with aphasia following ischemic stroke, especially during the sub-acute phase. However, due to insufficient sample sizes and information on the safety, more high-quality RCTs are still needed

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke non-fluent aphasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…These results suggested that rTMS ameliorated spontaneous language capability in patients in acute and recovery stages. Acupuncture therapy constitutes a significant component of complementary and alternative medicine, which has potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of PSA ( 81 ). The combined therapeutic application of acupuncture and rTMS on NFA has demonstrated a markedly superior efficacy compared to monotherapy.…”

Acupuncture for ischemic stroke: Where are we now?

“…However, these three studies did not significantly assess the safety of acupuncture. In the same year, a meta-analysis suggested that acupuncture might have a beneficial effect on aphasia after IS, particularly during the subacute phase [28] . However, the sample sizes of these meta-analyses were insufficient, thereby limiting the results.…”

“…Clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown that acupuncture effectively reduces mortality and prevents complications. The meta-analysis results suggest that acupuncture may play an active role in impairment and rehabilitation associated with the onset of IS, including dyskinesia [24] , dysphagia [25] , spasticity [26] , cognitive impairment [27] , aphasia [28] , insomnia [29] , dysarthria [30] , depression [31] , and fatigue [32] . In addition, acupuncture not only intervenes in IS as a therapeutic tool but can also be involved in the induction of ischemic tolerance as a preventive strategy [33] .…”

Understanding the mechanism of acupuncture in acute cerebral infraction through a proteomic analysis: protocol for a prospective randomized controlled trial

“…This process ultimately leads to the restructuring of neural connections and the restoration of functional abilities. Furthermore, a systematic review ( Sang et al, 2022 ) has indicated that acupuncture therapy administered during the sub-acute phase of ischemic stroke may improve language function in individuals with aphasia. Moreover, another systematic review ( Wang et al, 2012 ) has demonstrated that scalp acupuncture exhibits superior efficacy in terms of improving neurological deficit scores and clinical effectiveness compared with western conventional medicine in patients with ACI.…”