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.