Moxibustion for post-stroke urinary incontinence in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a frequently identified complication among stroke survivors. Moxibustion is commonly used to treat post-stroke UI in Asian countries. This study aimed to synthesize the evidence of using moxibustion for post-stroke UI management.

METHODS

Twelve databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using moxibustion to improve post-stroke UI management. Four Chinese journals were also manually screened for potentially eligible articles.

RESULTS

Ten studies with a total of 719 participants and one completed trial without published results were included. Compared with "routine methods of treatment and/or care," the meta-analyses revealed that moxibustion had superior effects in improving UI symptoms and alleviating the severity of UI.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review identified preliminary research evidence that moxibustion may be effective in managing the symptoms of post-stroke UI. More rigorously designed, large-scale RCTs are warranted to provide more robust evidence in this area.