Acupuncture for Ischemic Stroke: A Critical Evaluation of Biological Mechanisms and Methodological Challenges.

IF 2 4区 医学 Q2 MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL
International Journal of General Medicine Pub Date : 2025-09-11 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.2147/IJGM.S535590
Yining Wang, Hongtao Yu, Yuyu Chen, Yuxin Hu, Haichun Zhou, Jian Zhao
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, creating an urgent need for effective adjunctive therapies to complement conventional treatments. Acupuncture has emerged as a widely investigated intervention for post-stroke recovery. This review provides a critical evaluation of the proposed biological mechanisms underlying acupuncture's effects in IS. We synthesize evidence from preclinical and clinical studies on its potential to promote the dynamic repair of the neurovascular unit (NVU), modulate intercellular communication, improve cerebral hemodynamics, enhance angiogenesis, and support neurorestoration. While a significant body of preclinical evidence suggests multifaceted benefits, we highlight a critical translational gap and the methodological limitations that currently temper clinical certainty. Key challenges include the heterogeneity of treatment protocols, the complexity of sham controls, and a frequent lack of objective biomarkers. Consequently, we conclude by outlining a clear agenda for future research, emphasizing the need for protocol standardization, rigorous large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and the integration of biomarkers to bridge the gap between proposed mechanisms and validated clinical outcomes. This critical perspective aims to guide future research toward definitively establishing acupuncture's role in the stroke care continuum.

针灸治疗缺血性中风:对生物学机制和方法学挑战的关键评估。
缺血性脑卒中(IS)是世界范围内长期残疾的主要原因,迫切需要有效的辅助治疗来补充常规治疗。针灸已成为一种广泛研究的卒中后康复干预措施。这篇综述提供了一个重要的评估提出的生物学机制,潜在的针灸在IS的作用。我们综合了临床前和临床研究的证据,证明了其促进神经血管单元(NVU)的动态修复、调节细胞间通讯、改善脑血流动力学、促进血管生成和支持神经修复的潜力。虽然大量的临床前证据显示了多方面的益处,但我们强调了一个关键的转化差距和方法学上的局限性,目前这些局限性影响了临床确定性。主要的挑战包括治疗方案的异质性,假对照的复杂性,以及经常缺乏客观的生物标志物。因此,我们总结了未来研究的明确议程,强调需要标准化方案,严格的大规模随机对照试验(rct),以及整合生物标志物,以弥合提出的机制和验证的临床结果之间的差距。这一关键的观点旨在指导未来的研究明确确立针灸在中风护理连续体中的作用。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
International Journal of General Medicine
International Journal of General Medicine Medicine-General Medicine
自引率
0.00%
发文量
1113
审稿时长
16 weeks
期刊介绍: The International Journal of General Medicine is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal that focuses on general and internal medicine, pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment protocols. The journal is characterized by the rapid reporting of reviews, original research and clinical studies across all disease areas. A key focus of the journal is the elucidation of disease processes and management protocols resulting in improved outcomes for the patient. Patient perspectives such as satisfaction, quality of life, health literacy and communication and their role in developing new healthcare programs and optimizing clinical outcomes are major areas of interest for the journal. As of 1st April 2019, the International Journal of General Medicine will no longer consider meta-analyses for publication.
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