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Acupuncture is effective in improving functional communication in post-stroke aphasia

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Summary

Objective

In this meta-analysis the authors evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving functional communication and language function in post-stroke aphasia (PSA) patients.

Methods

Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, AMED, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases, ICTRP, ISRCTN, EUCTR, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Stroke Trials Registries. A search was carried out for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of acupuncture compared with no treatment or placebo acupuncture on post-stroke aphasia (PSA). The searched records were independently screened by two authors, who extracted the data, and assessed risk of bias of the included RCTs. Data aggregation and risk of bias evaluation were conducted on Review Manager Version 5.3. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42016037543).

Results

A total of 28 RCTs involving 1747 patients (883 patients in the treatment group and 864 patients in the control group) were included in the quantitative synthesis. The results demonstrated significant effects of acupuncture in improving PSA functional communication (P < 0.00001, standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.01 [0.81, 1.20]), severity of impairment (P < 0.0001, SMD = 0.64 [0.45, 0.84]), spontaneous speech (P = 0.0002, SMD = 1.51 [0.71, 2.32]), auditory comprehension (P < 0.0001, SMD = 0.84 [0.43, 1.26]), repetition (P < 0.00001, SMD = 1.13 [0.75, 1.52]), naming (P = 0.03, SMD = 0.65 [0.08, 1.23]), reading (P < 0.0001, SMD = 1.56 [0.83, 2.29]), and writing (P = 0.009, SMD = 1.03 [0.25, 1.80]).

Conclusion

Acupuncture seems to be effective in improving PSA functional communication and language function.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Jian Kong for his great help in improving this manuscript.

Funding

This project was supported by the Special Public Welfare Industry and Scientific Research from State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (project No. 201407001-9) and the National Science Foundation of China (project No. 81473654).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Hutong, Dongcheng District, 100700, Beijing, China

    Binlong Zhang, Yi Han, Xing Huang, Jingling Chang & Ying Gao

  2. Key Laboratory of Encephalopathy Treatment of Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Peoples Republic of China, 100700, Beijing, China

    Jingling Chang & Ying Gao

  3. Center for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 100029, Beijing, China

    Zhaolan Liu

  4. Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Shuren Li

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  1. Binlong Zhang
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Correspondence to Jingling Chang or Ying Gao.

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B. Zhang, Y. Han, X. Huang, Z. Liu, S. Li, J. Chang and Y. Gao declare that they have no competing interests.

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Zhang, B., Han, Y., Huang, X. et al. Acupuncture is effective in improving functional communication in post-stroke aphasia. Wien Klin Wochenschr 131, 221–232 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-019-1478-5

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