Effectiveness and Safety of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for the Treatment of Poststroke Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Basic information of the eligible studies.

First author	Year of publication	Country	Type of study	Interventions	Number of cases			Outcome
				Treatment group	Control group	Treatment group	Control group
LiLi Zeng [11]	2018	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	①, ⑦
Huiming Deng [12]	2019	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	29	29	①, ⑤
Yonggang Hao [13]	2020	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	⑦
Jia Du [14]	2020	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	105	105	④, ⑤, ⑥, ⑧
Zhihong Zou [15]	2014	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	50	50	①
Heyi Yang [16]	2012	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	24	20	①, ②
Wenfeng Wu [17]	2011	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	⑦
Jinying Guo [18]	2012	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	35	35	①, ②
Zipei Zeng [19]	2012	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	40	40	①
Liangyu Huang [20]	2018	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	28	①, ②, ③, ④, ⑥, ⑦, ⑧
Xizong Jin [21]	2016	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	20	20	①, ②, ③, ④, ⑤
Xiyang Sun [22]	2019	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	①, ②, ③, ④, ⑤, ⑥, ⑦, ⑧
Fengyi Guan [23]	2018	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	32	32	①, ⑥, ⑦, ⑧
Ying Gao [24]	2020	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	①, ③, ④, ⑤, ⑥, ⑦, ⑧
Guifang Luan [25]	2018	China	RCT	ACE	NACE	30	30	①, ②, ⑦

① Efficacy rate; ② first defecation time; ③ defecation sensation score; ④ degree of difficulty in defecation; ⑤ stool property score; ⑥ PAC-QOL scale score; ⑦ symptom integral; ⑧ adverse event; ACE: acupoint catgut embedding; NACE: nonacupoint catgut embedding.