Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) for
stroke patients with spasticity. DATA SOURCES: Five English databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and
Complementary Medicine Database) and 4 Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical
Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP Database,
Wanfang Database) were searched from their inception to September 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials were included if they measured spasticity
with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) in stroke patients and investigated the
add-on effects of electroacupuncture to routine pharmacotherapy and
rehabilitation therapies. DATA EXTRACTION: Information on patients, study design,
treatment details and outcomes assessing spasticity severity, motor function, and
activities of daily living was extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: In total, 22 trials
involving 1425 participants met the search criteria and were included. The
estimated add-on effects of EA to reduce spasticity in the upper limbs as
measured by the MAS (standardized mean difference [SMD]=-.57; 95% confidence
interval [CI], -.84 to -.29), and to improve overall motor function as measured
by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Recovery (mean difference
[MD]=10.60; 95% CI, 8.67-12.53) were significant. Significant add-on effects of
EA were also shown for spasticity in the lower limbs, lower-limb motor function,
and activities of daily living ([SMD=-.88; 95% CI, -1.42 to -.35;], [MD=4.42; 95%
CI, .06-8.78], and [MD=6.85; 95% CI, 3.64-10.05], respectively), although with
high heterogeneity. For upper-limb motor function, no significant add-on effects
of EA were found. CONCLUSIONS: EA combined with conventional routine care has the
potential of reducing spasticity in the upper and lower limbs and improving
overall and lower extremity motor function and activities of daily living for
patients with spasticity, within 180 days poststroke. Further studies of high
methodological and reporting quality are needed to confirm the effects and safety
of EA, and to explore the adequate and optimal protocol of EA for poststroke
spasticity, incorporating a group of comprehensive outcome measures in different
populations.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS