Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture for post-stroke depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

EA demonstrated superiority over conventional drug therapy in improving HAMD scores, efficacy rates, and safety. However, no significant difference was observed between EA and the control group in improving BI and SDS scores. The pooled results for HAMD scores and SDS showed high heterogeneity, and the study itself exhibited considerable heterogeneity. Furthermore, all included studies were conducted in China, which may introduce regional bias. Future rigorous clinical research is needed to provide high-quality evidence.