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Abstract Background The refractory and disabling nature of sensory disorders after stroke seriously affects patients' daily lives and reduces hospital turnover. Acupuncture, as an alternative therapy, is commonly used in combination with rehabilitation training to improve sensory disorders. To compare the effects of different acupuncture-related treatments combined with rehabilitation training on sensory impairment and the daily living ability of patients with stroke, we conducted a network meta-analysis to provide evidence-based findings for clinical practice. Methods Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of sensory disorders in patients with stroke were systematically retrieved from several databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal(VIP), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biological Medical (CBM), PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Clinical trials. The retrieval period ranged from January 2012 to December 2023. Two independent reviewers screened the included literature, extracted the data, and assessed the risk quality using Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 and ReviewManager 5.4.1. Stata16.0 software was employed for data analysis. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42023389180. Results After screening, 20 studies were included, involving a total of 1999 subjects. The network meta-analysis results indicate that, compared to standard rehabilitation, acupuncture plus massage plus rehabilitation showed the most significant reduction in Numbness Syndrome Scores (MD = -0.71(-1.11,-0.31)). Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation demonstrated the most substantial improvement in Sensory Impairment Scores (MD = -0.59,(-0.68,-0.51)) and daily living ability of patients (MD = 17.16,(12.20,22.12)). Conclusions In comparison to standard rehabilitation, the combination of acupuncture-related treatments and modern rehabilitation training not only improves the symptoms of sensory impairment and numbness after stroke but also enhances the daily living ability of patients, especially when acupuncture is combined with rehabilitation. However, further demonstration is required to strengthen these conclusions.

ABSTRACTAim: Central hiccups following a stroke are a frequent complication, exerting adverse effects on both the stroke condition and the patient’s daily life. Existing treatments exhibit limited efficacy and pronounced side effects. Acupuncture has been explored as a supplementary intervention in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture for post-stroke hiccups.Methods: To identify published clinical randomized controlled trials addressing post-stroke hiccups treatment, comprehensive searches were conducted across PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medical (CBM), Wanfang Database, and China Science and Technology Journal (VIP). In addition, we scrutinized ClinicalTrials.gov and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Employing Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 and Review Manager 5.4 software, three authors independently reviewed literature, extracted data, and evaluated study quality. Data analysis was performed using Stata 16.0 and Review Manager 5.4.Results: A total of 18 trials were encompassed in the analysis. In comparison to standard treatment, acupuncture exhibited a significant enhancement in treatment effectiveness (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.21–1.33; P

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia disorder. It can easily lead to complications such as thromboembolism, palpitations, dizziness, angina, heart failure, and stroke. The disability and mortality rates associated with AF are extremely high, significantly affecting the quality of life and work of patients. With the deepening of research into the brain-heart connection, the link between AF and stroke has become increasingly evident. AF is now categorized as either Known Atrial Fibrillation (KAF) or Atrial Fibrillation Detected After Stroke (AFDAS), with stroke as the baseline. This article, through a literature review, briefly summarizes the current pathogenesis of KAF and AFDAS, as well as the status of their clinical pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. It has been found that the existing treatments for KAF and AFDAS have limited efficacy and are often associated with significant adverse reactions and a risk of recurrence. Moreover, most drugs and treatment methods tend to focus on a single mechanism pathway. For example, drugs targeting ion channels primarily modulate ion channels and have relatively limited impact on other pathways. This limitation underscores the need to break away from the “one disease, one target, one drug/measurement” dogma for the development of innovative treatments, promoting both drug and non-drug therapies and significantly improving the quality of clinical treatment. With the increasing refinement of the overall mechanisms of KAF and AFDAS, a deeper exploration of physiological pathology, and comprehensive research on the brain-heart relationship, it is imperative to shift from long-term symptom management to more precise and optimized treatment methods that are effective for almost all patients. We anticipate that drugs or non-drug therapies targeting the central nervous system and upstream pathways can guide the simultaneous treatment of multiple downstream pathways in AF, thereby becoming a new breakthrough in AF treatment research.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of conventional drugs combined with acupuncture therapy on the conversion of sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods We searched databases, such as PubMed, Embase, WOS, Cochrane, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wan fang Data, VIP, and CBM to collect data in randomized controlled trials of acupuncture included patients with atrial fibrillation. Publication time was limited from the beginning to May 15, 2021. The primary outcome is the number of participants who converted successfully. Results A total of 11 papers were included in this study. The combined effect indicated that acupuncture significantly effectively benefitted the patients with atrial fibrillation (RR = 1.208, 95% CI 1.123, 1.298, P

BackgroundCognitive impairment is one of the common sequelae after stroke, which not only hinders the recovery of patients but also increases the financial burden on families. In the absence of effective therapeutic measures, acupuncture treatment has been widely used in China to treat post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), but the specific efficacy is unclear. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the true efficacy of acupuncture treatment in patients with PSCI.MethodsWe searched eight databases [PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal (VIP) database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, and Wan fang database] from the inception to May 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to acupuncture treatment combined with cognitive rehabilitation (CR) for PSCI. Two investigators independently used a pre-designed form to extract valid data from eligible RCTs. The risk of bias was assessed through tools provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. The meta-analysis was implemented through Rev Man software (version 5.4). The strength of the evidence obtained was evaluated using GRADE profiler software. Adverse events (AEs) were collected by reading the full text and used to evaluate the safety of acupuncture treatment.ResultsThirty-eight studies involving a total of 2,971 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the RCTs included in this meta-analysis were poor in methodological quality. The combined results showed that acupuncture treatment combined with CR showed significant superiority compared to CR alone in terms of improving cognitive function [Mean Difference (MD) = 3.94, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.16–4.72, P < 0.00001 (MMSE); MD = 3.30, 95%CI: 2.53–4.07, P < 0.00001 (MoCA); MD = 9.53, 95%CI: 5.61–13.45, P < 0.00001 (LOTCA)]. Furthermore, the combination of acupuncture treatment and CR significantly improved patients' self-care ability compared to CR alone [MD = 8.66, 95%CI: 5.85–11.47, P < 0.00001 (MBI); MD = 5.24, 95%CI: 3.90–6.57, P < 0.00001 (FIM)]. Meanwhile, subgroup analysis showed that MMSE scores were not sufficiently improved in the comparison of electro-acupuncture combined with CR versus CR alone (MD = 4.07, 95%CI: −0.45–8.60, P = 0.08). However, we also observed that electro-acupuncture combined with CR was superior to the use of CR alone in improving MoCA and MBI scores in patients with PSCI [MD = 2.17, 95%CI: 0.65–3.70, P = 0.005 (MoCA); MD = 1.74, 95%CI: 0.13–3.35, P = 0.03 (MBI)]. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse events (AE) between acupuncture treatment combined with CR and CR alone (P > 0.05). The certainty of the evidence was rated low level because of flaws in the study design and considerable heterogeneity among the included studies.ConclusionThis review found that acupuncture treatment combined with CR may have a positive effect on improving cognitive function and self-care ability in PSCI patients. However, our findings should be treated with caution owing to the existence of methodological quality issues. High-quality studies are urgently required to validate our results in the future.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022338905, identifier: CRD42022338905.

Fever is one of the most common complications in stroke patients and can generally be classified as either infectious or non-infectious. Infectious fevers are commonly caused by pulmonary infections, urinary tract infections, and secondary infections associated with medical interventions such as endotracheal intubation, urinary catheterization, and nasogastric tubes. Non-infectious fevers primarily manifest as central fevers, although in rare cases, they may also result from drug-induced causes. Existing research indicates that the most common cause of central fever is brainstem hemorrhage, followed by hemorrhage in the basal ganglia and thalamus, then cerebellar hemorrhage, large cortical infarction, and basilar artery occlusion, with intraventricular hemorrhage being relatively rare. Stroke patients' body temperatures can rise to 39°C within 12 hours after onset and peak within 24 hours. In this case, a stroke patient with acute cerebral infarction and secondary thalamic hemorrhage developed new sensory abnormalities in the left limbs and intermittent fever during hospitalization. Despite the use of antibiotics targeting a pulmonary infection, the patient's fever did not show significant improvement. Gabapentin was added to the treatment regimen to address the sensory abnormalities. Surprisingly, within four hours of gabapentin administration, the patient's body temperature normalized and remained stable during subsequent monitoring. This observation led us to hypothesize that gabapentin may have a potential role in alleviating central fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]