title: A meta-analysis of acupuncture use in the treatment of cognitive impairment after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture on cognitive impairment (function) after a stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with no acupuncture in addition to medicine or rehabilitation were identified from databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Chinese Periodical Database, Wangfang Chinese Periodical Database, Chinese Bio-medicine Database, Cochrane Library, and Chinese medical literature databases) and two relevant journals (Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion and the Journal of Shanghai Acupuncture and Moxibustion). Meta-analyses were conducted for the eligible RCTs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one trials with a total of 1421 patients met inclusion criteria. Pooled random-effects estimates of the change in the Mini-Mental State Examination were calculated for the comparison of acupuncture with no acupuncture in addition to medicine or rehabilitation. Following 4 weeks and 8 weeks of intervention with acupuncture, the merged mean difference was 3.14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06-4.21; p<.00001) and 2.03 (95% CI, 0.26-3.80; p=0.02), respectively. For the comparison of 3-4 weeks of acupuncture with no acupuncture in addition to medicine or rehabilitation groups, the merged MD in Neurobehavioral Cognitive State Examination total scores was 5.63 (95% CI, 3.95-7.31; p<.00001). For the comparison of 8-12 weeks of acupuncture with no acupuncture in addition to medicine or rehabilitation groups, the P300 latency merged MD was -12.80 (95% CI, -21.08 to -4.51; p<.00001), while the P300 amplitude merged MD was 1.38 (95% CI, 0.93-1.82; p<.00001). Overall, the study quality was rated as moderate on the basis of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (part 2: 8.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis suggests that acupuncture had positive effects on cognitive function after stroke and supports the need for additional research on the potential benefits of this therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: 1 Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Fuzhou, China .
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhuang-Miao
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yi-Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Li-Dian
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult