Objective To evaluate the effects of early acupuncture rehabilitation therapy on activities of daily living (ADL) and neurological function in patients with hemiplegia after acute cerebral infarction through a meta-analysis. Methods Relevant studies published in domestic and international databases were retrieved. The quality of the included studies was assessed, and changes in neurological function and daily living ability were analyzed using meta-analysis. Outcome measures included the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel index (BI), and ADL score. Results A total of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 1232 patients were included, with 617 patients in the conventional Western medicine group and 615 in the early acupuncture rehabilitation plus conventional Western medicine group. The methodological quality of the included studies met the required standards. Low to moderate statistical heterogeneity was observed across the NIHSS, BI, and ADL outcomes. Compared with the control group, the study group showed a significantly lower NIHSS score (WMD = −5.51, 95% CI: −5.71 to −5.42, P = 0.001) and significantly higher BI and ADL scores (WMD = 2.69, 95% CI: 2.48–2.87, P < 0.001; WMD = 2.20, 95% CI: 2.03–2.41, P = 0.003). No marked asymmetry was observed in the funnel plots; however, given the relatively small number of included studies for some outcomes, publication bias could not be completely excluded. Conclusion Early acupuncture rehabilitation therapy improves ADL and neurological function in patients with hemiplegia after acute cerebral infarction.
Jia et al. (Mon,) studied this question.