[Meta analysis on acupuncture treatment of aphasia].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for the aphasia.

Methods: The publications of acupuncture for the treatment of aphasia are comprehensively searched from relevant domestic medical literature databases, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database. Meta analysis was conducted by using the publications.

Results: Twenty six trials of 338 matched the selection criteria and their data were suitable for Meta analysis. The total aphasia patients were 1749. The total odds ratio (OR) of the improvement with acupuncture plus language training and drugs compared with language training plus drug intervention was 3.66 (95% confidence interval, 2.81, 4.76), and the funnel plot was approximately symmetry. It is indicated that the curative effect of the acupuncture group is better than that of the control group (Z = 9.60, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The effect of acupuncture with language training plus drugs for the treatment of aphasia is better than that of language training plus drugs only.