The therapeutic effect of scraping on hemiplegia patients after stroke: A meta-analysis

To provide a meta-analysis of scraping compared with routine nursing or rehabilitation methods in the treatment of hemiplegia after stroke.

A systematic literature retrieval was performed across several databases until April 13, 2024, using keywords like scraping therapy, hemiplegia, and stroke. Studies were screened based on specific criteria, with quality assessed using the Cochrane "risk of bias" tool. Eight outcomes were meta-analyzed: efficiency, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, activity of daily living, Barthel Index, NIH Stroke Scale, WHO Quality of Life, Visual Analogue Scale, and dystonia grade 3 to 4. Subgroup analyses were based on age and therapeutic type.

Twenty-three studies with 1905 patients were included, with 952 receiving scraping therapy and 953 receiving routine nursing and rehabilitation. Patients treated with scraping showed better therapeutic efficiency than the control group with statistical significance (odds ratio: 5.30, 95% confidence interval: [2.66, 10.56], P < .05). In addition, statistically significant differences were also observed in Barthel Index, NIH Stroke Scale, Visual Analogue Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life, and activity of daily living assessments between the 2 groups.

Scraping therapy improves therapeutic efficiency and quality of life in hemiplegia patients after stroke, highlighting its positive significance for hemiplegia rehabilitation.