Acupuncture for Post-stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Conclusions: Acupuncture therapy seems effective for motor function, pain relief and activities of daily living in stroke patients with mild SHS, when it is used in combination with rehabilitation. The low certainty of evidence downgrades our confidence in making recommendations to clinical practice. Introduction Shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) is a common condition among people who have had a stroke, with its reported prevalence ranging from 12% to 49% (1, 2). The main symptoms of SHS include pain, hyperalgesia, joint swelling and limitations in range of motion (ROM) (3). Post-stroke SHS is also named type I complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or reflex sympathetic dystrophy (4). The key to effectively treating SHS is believed to be an expert multidisciplinary team that provides individualized therapy (5). There is a wide range of treatment options available to help manage post-stroke SHS, including physical therapy, medications, regional anesthesia techniques and neuromodulation. However, there is insufficient evidence to support their efficacy (5). Acupuncture, one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicine therapies, has been widely used in the clinical management of stroke (6). Several systematic reviews have assessed its efficacy for improving stroke rehabilitation using outcomes in motor function recovery and disability, but results are inconsistent (7–11). Three reviews published before 2010 showed acupuncture did not improve motor function or de...
Source: Frontiers in Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research