Abstract

Post-stroke sleep disorder is one of the most common post-stroke complications in patients with stroke. The purpose of this study is to summarize and evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for post-stroke sleep disorder and provide a factual basis for future clinical decisions. As of August 9, 2022, we searched six databases with a total of 138 documents, and the retrieved literature was thoroughly evaluated according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria developed, and valid data from them were extracted and included in the analysis. We evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of poststroke sleep disorder patients using clinical efficiency rate and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index as outcome indicators. Finally, 18 randomized controlled trials met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that the clinical efficiency rate of acupuncture therapy for post-stroke sleep disorder was statistically significant compared with that of the control group (relative risk=1.20, 95 % confidence interval (1.15, 1.25), p<0.00001); the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores of patients with post-stroke sleep disorder treated with acupuncture therapy were statistically significant compared with that of the control group (relative risk=-1.06, 95 % confidence interval (-1.38, -0.75), p<0.00001). In conclusion, acupuncture therapy is clinically significant in the treatment of post-stroke sleep disorder. Although acupuncture has shown good efficacy in the treatment of post-stroke sleep disorder, further studies are needed to confirm the role of acupuncture in the treatment of such disorders.