The efficacy of Qigong exercises for post-stroke mental disorders and sleep disorders: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke mental disorders (PSMDs) and post-stroke sleep disorders (PSSDs) are quite common condition in stroke's patients. Qigong has been widely applied as a replaced and useful treatment for PSMDs and PSSDs. However, the exact effects and safety of Qigong have yet be systematically investigated. Our study focused on summary of efficacy and safety of Qigong for the treatment of advanced PSMDs and PSSDs through the systematic analysis and meta-analysis, in order to provide scientific reference for the clinical. METHODS: The protocol followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols. Relevant randomized controlled trials were only considered. Search strategy will be performed in 4 English database including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Excerpt Medical Database, 4 Chinese Database including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Scientific Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Papers in English or Chinese published from their inception to 30 June 2020. Study selection and data extraction will be performed independently by 2 investigators. The clinical outcomes including overall Hamilton depression scale, Hamilton anxiety scale, the mental health part of the MOS item short from health survey, Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index. Based on the Cochrane Assessment tool and Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, a modified assessment form should be used to evaluate the methodological quality. Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis and risk of bias. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We provide some more practical and targeted results examine the effect of Qigong exercises for PSMDs and PSSDs in the relative meta-analysis. We find out defects or inadequacies of Qigong in previous studies. The findings of this research will provide more evidence-based guidance in clinical practice and more rigorous study. International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY) registration number: INPLASY202070051.