Table 1.
Basic characteristics.
| References | Sample size | Stroke type | SHS severity | Duration of condition | First stroke onset | Intervention | Comparisons | Acupoints | Acupuncture treatment details | Treatment duration | Outcome measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen (32) | 96/85 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | NS | NS | NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | EX-B2, GB21, SI11, LI15, TE14, SI9, LI14, PC3, LU5, TE5, SI3, LI4, HT1 | Once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA |
| Chen et al. (51) | 48/46 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 34.91 d; C: 35.41 d |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, TE14, Jianqian, SI9, LI11, TE5, LI10, EX-UE9 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS, BI |
| Duan et al. (17) | 60/60 | NS | NS | 14 d−19 m | NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | SI11, SI9, SI10, LU2, LI11, LI10, HT3, Jianqian, Jianfeng, Ashi point | 20 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 8 w | FMA |
| Feng and Ma (50) | 69/57 | NS | Stage I | 33.1 d | NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | PC6, LI5, ST9, LU5, HT1 | 30 min, once/d | 4 w | FMA, VAS, ROM |
| Gao et al. [201116] | 16/16 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | NS | 48.5 d | NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, TE14, LI14, LI11, TE5, TE4, KI15, EX-UE9 | 30 min, once/d | 4 w | VAS, BI |
| He and Gao (49) | 60/60 | Cerebral infarction & hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 21.07 d; C: 20.32 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | CV12, CV4, ST24, ST26, Shangfengshidian, Shengfengshiwaidian | 30 min, once/d | 3 w | FMA, VAS, MBI |
| Hou (20) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 29.8 d; C: 31.5 d |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | GV20, GV24, EX-HN3, LI11, TE5, LI4 | 50–100 Hz, 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS |
| Huang et al. (48) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 46.8 d; C: 45.4 d |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | EX-UE9, EX-UE8 | 20 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 3 w | FMA |
| Jia et al. (21) | 28/24 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 28.5 d; C: 31 d |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | GV20, GV24, EX-HN3, LI15, TE14, LI11, TE5, LI4 | 50–100 Hz, 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS |
| Li (18) | 60/60 | NS | NS | NS | NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI1, LI2, LI3, LI5, LI11, | 2–30 Hz, 15 min, once/d | 14 d | FMA |
| Li and Tu (34) | 45/45 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 4.29 m; C: 3.93 m |
Yes | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI10, LI15, LI15, LI11, PC6, TE5, LI4, Ashi point | 50–100 Hz, 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 6 w | FMA, VAS, MBI |
| Li et al. (47) | 46/46 | NS | NS | NS | NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LU9, ST36, LI11, LI10, LI15, GB39, BL62 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 1 m | FMA |
| Liang and Liu (46) | 42/42 | NS | Stage I, II | I: 10 d−3 m; C: 15 d−3 m |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | GB21, LI15, SI9, TE14, LI14, SI11, LI11, TE5, SI3, PC8, LI4 | 30 min, once/ d | 30 d | FMA, VAS |
| Liao (33) | 45/45 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | NS | I: 48.6 d; C: 50.7 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | GV26, PC6, HT5, HT1, ST36, GB39, SP6,LI15, LI4, LI11, TE13, TE9 | 30 min, once/d | 5 w | FMA, VAS, MBI |
| Lin et al. (30) | 40/40 | NS | Stage I | I: 29.3 d; C: 28.6 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Piantan, Jiantong, Shengti, Jiansanzhen, Ashi point, HT1, PC6, LU5 | 30 min, once/d | 4 w | FMA, VAS |
| Liu (23) | 40/40 | NS | NS | I: 36.25 d; C: 37.25 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Jiantong | 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 40 d | FMA, VAS, ROM |
| Liu and Zhang (52) | 49/49 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | NS | I: 48.18 d; C: 47.18 d |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, LI11, TE5, LI4, SI3, TE3 | 20 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS |
| Qin et al. (27) | 40/40 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 4 m; C: 4 m |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Four points in head | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | NS | VAS |
| Shang et al. (28) | 40/40 | NS | Stage I, II | I: 5.23 m; C: 5.02 m |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, Jianqian, TE14, HT1, LI14, LI11, PC6, LI4 | 40 min,2 times/d | 30 d | FMA, ROM |
| Su et al. (24) | 22/21 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I, II | I: 44.2 d; C: 43.7 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Piantan, Jiantong, Shengti | once/d | 2 w | FMA |
| Tang et al. (45) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction | Stage I | I: 48.54 d; C: 49.12 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | SI11, LI15, LI14, Jianqian, KI15, SI3 | 40 min, 6 d/w | 28 d | FMA, VAS |
| Wan et al. (25) | 40/40 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I, II | I: 24.53 d; C: 24.4 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Piantan, Jiantong, Bitong, Wantong | once/d, 5 d/w | 4 w | FMA, MBI |
| Wan et al. (29) | 60/60 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I, II | I: 38.4 d; C: 33.0 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LU9, ST36, GB39, TE5, LI10, LI11, LI15 | 30 min, once/d | 28 d | FMA |
| Wang et al. (31) | 31/31 | NS | NS | I: 10–26 d; C: 12–29 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Ashi point, LI15, Jianqian, SI9, HT1, LU5, LI10, LI11, PC6, TE5, LI4 | 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 5 w | MBI |
| Wang et al. (53) | 71/71 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | StageI, II, III | I: 66.8 d; C: 67.4 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, TE14, GB21, SI9, LI17, LI11, TE5, LI4, SI6, KI15, CV6, ST36 | 15 min, once/d | 21 d | FMA, MBI |
| Wu (39) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | 15 d−3 m | NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | EX-B2, TE14, TE13, LI15, LI14, SI9, HT1, LI4, LI11, KI15, TE5, SI6, SI3 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | ROM |
| Xie (40) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction | NS | 15 d−3 m | NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Tousanzhen, Jiansanzhen, HT1, LU5, PC6 | once/d, 5 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS, AE |
| Xu (36) | 36/36 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 5–44 d; C: 4–47 d |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI1, LI2, LI3, LI5, LI11 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS, AE |
| Xu et al. (19) | 42/40 | NS | Stage I | I: 33.45 d; C: 27.14 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Jiansanzhen, HT1, LU5, PC6 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 5 w | VAS, FMA, ROM, AE |
| Xu et al. (44) | 40/40 | Cerebral infarction | Stage I | I: 47.2 d; C: 48.6 d |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, LI14, HT1, Jianqian, Jianhou, KI15, SI3 | 40 min | 14 d | FMA, VAS |
| Yang et al. (43) | 40/40 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 87.93 d; C: 95.8 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, LI11, LI10, PC6, LI4 | 30 min, once/d | 20 d | FMA, VAS |
| Yin et al. (26) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 67.17 d; C: 67.10 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Six meridians on hand, including LI15, LI11, TE14, GB21, etc. | 20–30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS |
| You (37) | 31/31 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I, II, III | I: 31.89 d; C: 33.45 d |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, TE14, SI9, LI14, SI11, LI10, TE5, LI4, EX-UE9 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS, MBI, ROM |
| Zhang (38) | 30/30 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 58.64 d; C: 54.97 d |
NS | EA + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, LI11, LI4, TE5, LI10 | 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 3 w | FMA, VAS, AE |
| Zhao (42) | 24/23 | Cerebral infarction | Stage I | I: 77.67 d; C: 65.65 d |
Yes | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | TE14, SI9, Jianqian, LI15, Ashi point, LI11, LI5, TE5 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 28 d | FMA, VAS, MBI, AE |
| Zheng et al. (35) | 39/38 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | Stage I | I: 41.72 d; C: 42.48 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI15, TE14, SI9, LI11, LI10, TE5, LI4, SI3 | 30 min, once/d, 5 d/w | 4 w | FMA, VAS, BI |
| Zhong et al. (41) | 30/30 | NS | Stage I | I: 28.4 d; C: 29.2 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | Piantan, Jiantong, Shengti, Jiansanzhen, Ashi point, HT1, PC6, LU5 | 30 min, once/d | 30 d | FMA, VAS |
| Zhou et al. (22) | 45/45 | Cerebral infarction and hemorrhage | NS | I: 55.13 d; C: 57.08 d |
NS | Acupuncture + Rehab | Rehab | LI4, LU7, LI11, LI15, CV21, CV4 | 30 min, once/d, 6 d/w | 1 m | FMA, VAS |
All included articles were published in Chinese journals. AE, adverse events; BI, Barthel Index; C, comparison; d, day; EA, electroacupuncture; FMA, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (upper limb); I, intervention; m, month; MBI, Modified Barthel Index; NS, not specified; Rehab, rehabilitation; ROM, shoulder range of motion; VAS, visual analog scale; w, week; SHS, shoulder-hand syndrome.