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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Headache and Neurogenic Pain
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1528956
Acupuncture effects of post-stroke thalamic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Provisionally accepted
Tianwei Zhang*
Junying Zhai*
Ling Cheng
Kaixin Jiang
Dayang WangHuawei ShiBin Wang
xing chen
Xinglu Dong*Li Zhou*- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for post-stroke thalamic pain (PS-TP). According to the established search strategy, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture therapy for PS-TP were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases as well as two clinical trial registration platforms, up to February 2024. Outcome measures included the total efficacy rate, visual analogue scale (VAS), present pain intensity score (PPI), pain rating index (PRI), β-endorphin (β-EP), substance P (SP) and adverse reactions. Sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to identify the sources of heterogeneity. We evaluated the evidence quality of outcomes via the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) rating system and performed trial sequential analyses using TSA software. The final inclusion comprised twelve articles. Meta-analysis results indicated that acupuncture treatment for PS-TP was more effective and safer than conventional medical treatment. Additionally, acupuncture treatment for thalamic pain had sustained effects. The GRADE assessment indicated that the quality of evidence for all outcome measures ranges from moderate to very low. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) results provided compelling evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in treating PS-TP. In the future, more large-sample, high-quality RCTs are needed to provide primarily high-level evidence in evidence-based medicine regarding the safety and sustained effects of acupuncture treatment for PS-TP.
Keywords: Acupuncture1, stroke2, thalamic pain3, Systematic review4, Meta-analysis5
Received: 15 Nov 2024; Accepted: 14 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Zhai, Cheng, Jiang, Wang, Shi, Wang, chen, Dong and Zhou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Tianwei Zhang, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Junying Zhai, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Xinglu Dong, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Li Zhou, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.