Moxibustion for stroke rehabilitation: systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Positive effects of moxibustion for stroke rehabilitation may be seen in real clinical practice. Currently, no systematic reviews are available. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the trial data on the effectiveness of moxibustion for stroke rehabilitation. METHODS Fourteen databases were searched without language restriction. Randomized clinical trials were included if moxibustion was tested as the sole treatment or as an adjunct to other treatments for stroke rehabilitation. RESULTS Nine randomized clinical trials met our inclusion criteria. Three randomized clinical trials reported favorable effects of moxibustion plus standard care on motor function versus standard care alone (N=142; standardized mean difference=0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.37 to 1.08; P<0.0001). Three randomized clinical trials compared the effects of moxibustion on activities of daily living alone but failed to show favorable effects of moxibustion. CONCLUSION This systematic review found limited effectiveness of moxibustion as an adjunct to standard care in stroke rehabilitation.