Eye-acupuncture as adjuvant therapy for stroke: A bibliometric analysis of clinical studies

Abstract Background Eye-acupuncture (EA) is a fine-needle acupuncture therapy for systemic diseases. This bibliometric analysis aims to provide a comprehensive review of the characteristics of EA for ischemic or hemorrhagic apoplexy based on clinical studies. Methods A total of 195 clinical studies from six databases such as CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, SinoMed, PubMed and the Cochrane Library from inception to December 31, 2017 were included. Bibliometric information mainly including study type, participant characteristics, intervention and comparison details, and outcomes were extracted. Data was analyzed descriptively using SPSS® software to determine their distribution (range, interquartile range) and central tendency (median). Results The studies covered 108 RCTs, 36 controlled clinical trials, 45 case series and 6 case reports on EA for treatment of ischemic or hemorrhagic apoplexy, involved 15 466 stroke patients. EA was used at different stages of ischemic or hemorrhagic apoplexy: acute stage (n = 38), recovery (n = 32), sequela (n = 13) and unclear (n = 112). The most frequently used EA acupoints were in the upper-jiao and lower-jiao regions. The commonly used comparisons were EA alone versus traditional acupuncture, or EA plus traditional acupuncture versus traditional acupuncture. Neurological deficit scale, Modified Barthel Index, and activities of daily living were the most frequently used outcome measures. Conclusion EA as an adjuvant therapy is effective and safe in treating stroke at acute and recovery stages, but high-quality RCTs are lacking.