Table 1.
Summary of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for spasticity after stroke.
| Author (year) country |
Sample size (analyzed) |
Intervention group | Control group | Main outcomes (regions evaluated for MAS) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N
(analyzed) |
Duration after stroke |
Treatment | Regimen |
N
(analyzed) |
Duration after stroke (mo/d) | Regimen | |||
| Moon et al. (2003) [19] Korea |
35 (35) |
15 (15) |
3.7 ± 3.7 mo | EA | 8 sessions (EA, plus ST) |
(A) 10 (10) (B) 10 (10) |
(A) 2.7 ± 1.4 (B) 2.5 ± 1.8 mo |
(A) ST (routine AT, exercises) (B) moxibustion, plus standard therapy |
MAS (elbow) |
|
| |||||||||
| Fink et al. (2004) [22] Germany |
25 (25) |
13 (13) |
66.5 ± 50.2 mo | AT | 8 sessions (AT) |
12 (12) |
64.2 ± 48.3 mo | Placebo AT | MAS (ankle) VAS, CGI, 2MWT, RMA, RMI, step length, cadence, mode of initial foot contact, goniometry, QOL measures |
|
| |||||||||
| Lee et al. (2007) [23] Korea |
20 (18) |
10 (10) |
NR | EA | 10 sessions (EA, plus ST) |
10 (8) |
NR | ST (oral medication) | MAS (wrist) H/M ratio, FMA |
|
| |||||||||
| Zhao et al. (2009) [20] China |
131 (120) |
67 (60) |
16.34 ± 6.09 mo | AT | 30 sessions (AT: surface projection zone of decussation of pyramid, standard therapy) |
64 (60) |
16.76 ± 6.89 mo | ST (oral medication, routine AT) | MAS (wrist, elbow, knee, ankle) FMA, BI, EMG |
|
| |||||||||
| Zong (2012) [21] China |
80 (80) |
40 (40) |
24.5 ± 5.88 days | EA | 30 sessions (EA, plus ST) |
40 (40) |
23.6 ± 7.08 days |
ST (oral medication, rehabilitation) | MAS (NR) FMA, MBI |
EA: electroacupuncture, ST: standard therapy, MAS: Modified Ashworth Scale, AT: acupuncture therapy, VAS: visual analog scale, CGI: clinical global impressions, 2MWT: 2-minute walk test, RMA: Rivermead motor assessment, RMI: Rivermead mobility index, QOL: quality of life, NR: not reported, FMA: Fugi-Meyer motor function, BI: Barthel index, EMG: electromyography, and MBI: modified Barthel index.