TABLE 1.
Basic characteristics of eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
| Eligible articles | Sample size |
Gender Male:Female |
Age ( ± s) (years) |
The type of stroke | Course (days) | Intervention |
Treatment courses and frequency |
Outcomes | Dropout or withdrawal cases | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/C | T/C | T | C | T | C | ||||||
| Chen et al. (2020) | 28/28 | 16:12/17:11 | 65.30 ± 6.80 | 64.50 ± 7.20 | Not reported | Not reported | Cluster needling scalp acupuncture | Medication | 4 weeks, 2/day | MoCA | Not reported |
| Jiang et al. (2016) | 52/49 | 25:27/24:25 | 61.58 ± 9.71 | 60.53 ± 9.19 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 41.12 ± 21.71 C: 42.76 ± 16.00 |
Acupuncture at GV20, GV24 | Routine western treatment | 12 weeks, 5/week |
1. MMSE 2.MoCA |
T: 8 cases C: 2 cases |
| Chen et al. (2016) | 125/125 | 74:51/74:51 | 62.52 ± 10.60 | 64.06 ± 10.54 | Ischemic stroke | 2–7 | Electroacupuncture at LI15, LI11, ST36, SP6 | Routine western treatment | 3 weeks, 6/week |
1. MMSE 2.MoCA |
T: 5 cases C: 4 cases |
| Wang et al. (2016) | 40/39 | 30:10/26:13 | 64.40 ± 7.70 | 60.60 ± 6.070 | Ischemic stroke | 15–180 | Acupuncture at DU20, EX‐HN1, ST2, GB20, GB12, BL10, DU26, HT7, PC6, ST40, SP6, and LR3 | Nimodipine alone | 3 months, 2/week | MoCA |
T: 2 cases C: 3 cases |
| Xiong et al. (2020) | 35/35 | 20:15/17:18 | 63.00 ± 7.23 | 65.30 ± 8.52 | Not reported |
T: 2.13 ± 0.85 C: 2.51 ± 0.46 |
Acupuncture at GV 20, EX‐HN1, GB20, GV 24 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 6/week |
1. MMSE 2. LOTCA |
T: 1 case C: 1 case |
| Yang et al. (2017) | 30/30 | 17:13/16:14 | 66.9 0± 7.60 | 68.8 ± 8.10 | Not reported |
T: 15.50 ± 6.40 C: 13.9 ± 6.1 |
Long‐time needle retaining at DU20 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks | MMSE | Not reported |
| Yao and Gong (2020) | 30/30 | 19:11/21:90 | 54.60 ± 11.80 | 57.40 ± 12.80 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 2.50 ± 0.80 C: 2.40 ± 1.00 |
Acupoint combination of Jin's three‐needle. Main acupoints: BL23, SP6, CV6, BL17, ST40, CV12, BL40 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks, 6/week |
1. MMSE 2.MoCA |
Not reported |
| Huan et al. (2021) | 60/60 | 33:27/29:31 | 65.10 ± 7.50 | 64.6 ± 8.40 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
Not reported | Electroacupuncture at GV20, GV29, GV24, GV26, GV17, EX‐HN1, GB20, HT7, SP6 | Sham acupuncture | 8 weeks |
1. MoCA 2. MMSE 3. SDS 4. BI |
Not reported |
| Sun (2013) | 36/35 | 19:16/21:15 | 64.78 ± 6.32 | 64.01 ± 5.92 | Not reported |
T: 21.34 ± 25.33 C: 20.42 ± 25.19 |
Acupuncture at GV20, EX‐HN1, DU26, GB20, PC6, ST36, ST40, SP6 | Routine western treatment | 45 days, 1/day |
1. MMSE 2. BI 3. SF‐36 4. NFDS |
T: 3 cases C: 4 cases |
| Feng (2013) | 40/40 | 31:9/31:9 | 52.13 ± 12.77 | 51.65 ± 12.47 | Not reported | Not reported | Electroacupuncture at GV24, GV20 | Routine western treatment | 2 weeks, 1/day |
1. MoCA 2. LOTCA 3. BI |
T: 2 cases C: 2 cases |
| Liu (2015) | 30/30 | 21:9/20:10 | 65.77 ± 8.24 | 67.00 ± 8.25 | Apoplexy at convalescence stage |
T: 3.85 ± 1.36 C: 3.70 ± 1.35 |
Electroacupuncture at DU19, GV20, DU21, DU24, GB13, DU26, PC6 | Nimodipine alone | 4 weeks, 5/week |
1. MMSE 2. MoCA |
Not reported |
| Kang (2011) | 24/24 | 17:7/15:9 | 60.67 ± 6.93 | 62.71 ± 5.34 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 19.79 ± 6.78 C: 20.54 ± 5.40 |
Electroacupuncture at GV20, EX‐HN1 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 1/day |
1. MMSE 2. P300 |
Not reported |
| Zhang (2014) | 30/30 | 16:14/17:13 | 71.27 ± 5.91 | 70.90 ± 5.62 | Not reported | 90–360 | Acupuncture at GV20, EX‐HN1, DU24, GB20, SP6, CV4, KI03, HT7, PC6 | Nimodipine alone | 4 weeks, 5/week |
1. MMSE 2. MoCA |
Not reported |
| Cao (2015) | 30/30 | 15:15/14:15 | 65.07 ± 7.06 | 64.07 ± 6.58 | Not reported |
T: 3.68 ± 1.71 C: 3.71 ± 1.48 |
Electroacupuncture at GV20, DU24, EX‐HN1, HT7, PC6 | Oxiracetam | 8 weeks, 6/week |
1. MMSE 2. MoCA 3. BI |
Not reported |
| Yang (2011) | 20/20 | 11:9/10:10 | 59.00 ± 8.46 | 59.30 ± 8.42 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 65.80 ± 35.66 C: 66.0 ± 36.24 |
Electroacupuncture at GV20, GB20 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 7/week |
1. MMSE 2. P300 |
T: 0 case C: 1 case |
| Jiang (2011) | 20/20 | 12:8/10:10 | 62.85 ± 5.67 | 61.75 ± 6.35 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 93.61 ± 41.84 C: 81.10 ± 41.15 |
Electroacupuncture at GV20, GV24 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 7/week |
1. MMSE 2. P300 |
Not reported |
| Zeng et al. (2015) | 50/50 | 30:20/32:18 | 66.00 ± 12.00 | 68.00 ± 10.00 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 34.70 ± 2.90 C: 34.2 ± 2.9 |
Acupuncture at GV20, EX‐HN1, DU24, GV29, LI04, LR03 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 5/week |
1. MoCA 2. BI 3. FMA |
Not reported |
| Lin et al. (2014) | 30/29 | 18:12/19:10 | 65.00 ± 5.00 | 67.00 ± 7.00 | Not reported |
T: 29.85 ± 18.10 C: 30.05 ± 19.89 |
Acupuncture at GV20 | Routine western treatment | 28 days, 1/day |
1. P300 2. MoCA |
T: 0 case C: 1 case |
| Wang and Li (2015) | 40/40 | 15:25/16:24 | 61.00 to75.00 | 59.00 to76.00 | Not reported |
T: 4–28 C: 5–29 |
Acupuncture at GV20, CV14, SJ05, SP10, ST36, GB34 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks, 5/week | P300 | Not reported |
| Ding and Zhou (2020) | 44/44 | 24:20/25:19 | 60.55 ± 8.46 | 61.08 ± 7.59 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
≥60 | Xingnao Tongluo acupuncture | Routine western treatment | 1 month, 1/day |
1. BI 2. NCSE 3. HSP70 4. Cor |
Not reported |
| Liu et al. (2016) | 84/84 | 54:30/52:32 | 55.00 ± 7.00 | 56.00 ± 9. | Not reported |
T: 2.9 ± 0.7 C: 3.20 ± 0.90 |
Acupuncture at DU24, BL10, DU26, PC6, HT7, GB20, GB12, DU20 | Donepezil hydrochloride | 56 days, 1/day |
1. MMSE 2. P300 |
Not reported |
| Wei, Liu, and Zeng (2023) | 40/40 | 25:15/27:14 | 53.18 ± 8.42 | 52.31 ± 7.87 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 2.14 ± 0.58 C: 2.26 ± 0.93 |
Acupuncture at DU20, EX‐HN1 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks, 1/day |
1. MMSE 2. MoCA 3. P300 4. BI |
T: 0 case C: 0 case |
| Chen, Lu, and Zhou (2018) | 60/60 | 45:15/42:18 | 65.43 ± 11.11 | 67.12 ± 10.98 | 1. Ischemic stroke |
T: 35.61 ± 2.78 C: 35.11 ± 2.20 |
Acupuncture at DU20, EX‐HN1, GB20 | Routine western treatment | 8 weeks, 1/day |
1. BI 2. FMA |
T: 0 case C: 0 case |
| Yang et al. (2015) | 36/36 | 25:11/21:15 | 66.00± 3.00 | 66 ± 3 | Not reported | 22 days to 4.2 months | Acupuncture at GV 20, EX‐HN 1, ST 2, GB 20, GB 12, BL 10, HT 7, PC 6, GV 26, SP 6, LR 3, ST 40 | Routine western treatment | 3 months, 3/day | 1.MoCA |
T: 0 case C: 0 case |
| Yang and Zhang (2019) | 40/40 | 24:16/22:18 | 51.35 ± 7.30 | 51.72 ± 7.46 | Not reported |
T: 21.40 ± 5.38 C: 21.57 ± 5.54 |
Acupuncture at KI1, DU20 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks, 2/day |
1. MMSE 2. BI 3. FMA |
T: 0 case C: 0 case |
| Yuan et al. (2022) | 39/40 | 31:8/29:11 | 61.00 ± 8.00 | 59 ± 9 |
1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Ischemic stroke |
T: 54.30 ± 37.70 C: 68.70 ± 50.00 |
Acupuncture at DU20, DU24 | Routine western treatment | 4 weeks, 1/day |
1.MoCA 2.MMSE 3.BI |
T: 1 case C: 0 case |
Abbreviations: BI, Barthel Index; C, control group; Cor, cortisol; FMA, Fugl‐Meyer assessment; HSP70, serum heat shock protein; LOTCA, Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment; MMSE, Mini‐Mental State Examination; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; NFDS, Neurological Function Deficit Scale; NIHSS, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale; P300, potential 300; SDS, Self‐Rating Depression Scale; SF‐36, short form‐36; T, treatment group.