Posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PCIS) with vertigo is a common central vertigo disease that significantly hinders patients' motivation for rehabilitation and increases the recurrence rate and mortality among stroke patients due to recurrent episodes of vertigo. Acupuncture has shown promising therapeutic effects in the treatment of PCIS with vertigo, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear....
This is a trial protocol only — no results are available yet; audiologists managing stroke-related vertigo should make no practice changes based on this publication alone.
Vertigo is a frequent and disabling symptom of posterior circulation stroke, and a well-designed RCT on acupuncture as an adjunct therapy could expand evidence-based treatment options for a condition audiologists and neurotologists commonly co-manage.
- 01Multicenter RCT protocol — no efficacy results reported yet.
- 02Intervention: acupuncture for vertigo secondary to posterior circulation ischemic stroke.
- 03Outcomes include symptom relief and cerebral hemodynamic (brain blood flow) changes.
- 04Randomized controlled design strengthens future evidence if completed as planned.
- 05Published in Frontiers in Neurology (DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1768559).
Acupuncture may reduce vertigo in patients with posterior circulation ischemic stroke.
studyunclearCerebral hemodynamic changes mediate the effect of acupuncture on stroke-related vertigo.
studyunclear- PMID
- 42093933
- DOI
- 10.3389/fneur.2026.1768559.
- Journal
- Frontiers in Neurology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 1b
- Population
- Patients with posterior circulation ischemic stroke presenting with vertigo
- Intervention
- Acupuncture
- Comparator
- Control (sham acupuncture or standard care — as specified in protocol)
Primary outcomes
Vertigo symptom severity; Cerebral hemodynamic parameters (blood flow measures)