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Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: A review of review

  • Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them.

Methods

Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed.

Results

Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events.

Conclusions

Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke.

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Acknowledgement

We thank Dr. Michael Fleming from University of Glasgow for his assistance in editing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xin-lin Chen, Chuan-wei Mo, Ri-yang Gao, Qian Xu, Yue Hu, Xuan Zhou & Xian-tao Li

  2. Public Health, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8RZ, UK

    Li-ya Lu

  3. First Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China

    Min-feng Wu & Qian-yi Zhou

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  1. Xin-lin Chen
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Correspondence to Xian-tao Li.

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Chen, Xl., Mo, Cw., Lu, Ly. et al. Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: A review of review. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 23, 871–877 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-017-2764-6

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