Electrical stimulation for limb spasticity in children with stroke: A protocol for systematic review

BACKGROUND: This systematic review protocol will appraise the effectiveness and safety of electrical stimulation (ES) for limb spasticity (LS) in children with stroke. METHODS: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PUBMED, PsycINFO, Scopus, OpenGrey, CINAHL, ACMD, CNKI, and WANGFANG will be systematically retrieved for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the effectiveness of ES compared with other interventions on LS in children with stroke. Two independent authors will evaluate eligibility using predefined criteria and will perform data extraction and study quality appraisal of eligible trials. Primary outcomes include gait velocity, and limb spasticity status. Limb function, quality of life, pain intensity, and adverse events will be assessed as secondary outcomes. We will perform data analysis using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: This systematic review will summarize the most recent evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of ES for LS in children with stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may help to determine whether ES is effective or not for LS in children with stroke. STUDY REGISTRATION: INPLASY202050115.