Stellate ganglion blockade for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric condition linked to diminished health-related quality of life, physical difficulties, and significant socioeconomic expenses. The stellate ganglion block (SGB) approach is increasingly utilized in patients with PTSD. Due to its efficacy and the variety of treatment alternatives, there is an urgent necessity for consistent and high-quality evidence about the usefulness of this intervention. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of SGB in treating PTSD and its related symptoms. METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang, VIP, and China Knowledge Network databases was performed till November 2024. Risks of bias were analyzed, and the methodological quality of the available literature was assessed. Data extraction and meta-analysis of the studies were conducted to determine the validity of SGB. RESULTS: Following the evaluation of 394 records, two randomized controlled trials and one case-control trial were incorporated into this meta-analysis. The methodological rigor of the included randomized controlled trials was elevated. In comparison to the control group, the pooled mean difference (MD) in the post-traumatic stress scale (CAPS) scores was diminished by -6.24 (95 % CI [-10.71, -1.78], P = 0.006) in the random-effects model, indicating that SGB treatment alleviated the symptoms of patients with PTSD. CONCLUSION: The SGB treatment demonstrates efficacy in alleviating symptoms in people with PTSD. Nonetheless, the limited quantity of randomized controlled trials included necessitates a more extensive collection of high-quality randomized controlled trials to substantiate this result further.