Meta-analysis of the efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in patients with post-stroke fatigue postprint

Abstract: Background Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of stroke patients，and studies at home and abroad have shown that fatigue symptoms seriously affect the recovery of stroke patients. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques can promote or inhibit the excitability of the cerebral cortex，accelerate brain plasticity，and can effectively improve fatigue symptoms in stroke patients. Objective To systematically evaluate the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on patients with post-stroke fatigue. Methods The computer retrieved the literature on non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in PubMed，Web of Science，Embase，The Cochrane Library，CBM，CNKI，CQVIP and Wanfang databases for the treatment of patients with post-stroke fatigue from the establishment of the library to April 2022. Results A total of 5 literature and 331 study subjects were included，and the meta-analysis results showed that after treatment with non-invasive brain stimulation technology，the fatigue severity scale score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group [SMD=-1.60，95% (-1.87，-1.32)， P<0.01]；The simplified motor function scale score in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group，and the difference was statistically significant [SMD=1.19，95% (0.90， 1.47)，P<0.01] Conclusions NIBS technology has significant efficacy in alleviating fatigue symptoms in patients with post-stroke fatigue, and can promote the recovery of patients' exercise ability，but due to the limitations of the quality of the included literature and sample size，randomized trials of higher quality and larger samples are needed to be carried out for verification in the future.