Purpose
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of aromatherapy interventions on stroke symptoms in stroke patients.
Methods
This study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Relevant studies published between 2004 and 2022 were searched in the PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ERIC, and RISS databases. The review included randomized and non-randomized studies of stroke patients who received aromatherapy interventions targeting stroke symptoms. The extracted literature was evaluated via the ROB 2 and ROBINS-1 quality appraisal checklists and visualized using a risk-of-bias visualization tool.
Results
The review included five randomized controlled trials and five quasi-experimental studies. The results showed that aromatherapy, administered through massage, inhalation, acupressure, mouth care, and olfactory stimulation, was effective in alleviating pain, constipation, oral health, motor power, muscle strength, balance, fatigue, and sleep quality. Aromatherapy also demonstrated beneficial effects in reducing depression, stress, delirium, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, serum cortisol, and antioxidants, while enhancing happiness, body temperature, and quality of life. A meta-analysis of mean differences in post-test results revealed that three studies reported a significant effect on pain, with an effect size of 1.85 (95% CI, 0.18~3.51).
Conclusion
Aromatherapy had positive effects on physical, physiological, psychological, cognitive, and integrative health outcomes. We recommend the use of aromatherapy in stroke patients to improve pain relief and health outcomes.

Citations

• Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine in the management of ischemic stroke: a narrative review
  S. Sowmiya, Rukaiah Fatma Begum, L. S. Dhivya, Praveen Rajendran, N. Harikrishnan, Ankul Singh S
  Frontiers in Pharmacology.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to study the acceptance of disability and influential factors between hemiplegic elderly and non-elderly after stroke.
METHODS
Data were collected with questionnaires from 104 elderly and 134 non-elderly with hemiplegia. Data were analyzed by chi-square-test, t-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression.
RESULTS
Significant predictors of acceptance of disability were family support, activities of daily living, and age, and these factors accounted for 24.2% of variance in acceptance of disability in the hemiplegic elderly. On the other hand, the significant predictors were family support and employment, and these factors accounted for 32.3% of variance in acceptance of disability in the non-elderly. Family support was the most influential variable in both the elderly and the non-elderly.
CONCLUSION
An acceptance of disability program for the hemiplegic elderly should be designed differently from that for the non-elderly.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Meridian pressure on the functions of upper extremities and discomfort of ADLs of hemiplegic patients. METHODS: The research design was a nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized design. Subjects were 35 hemiplegic patients who were hospitalized at L Oriental Medical Hospital; 18 for the experimental group and 17 for the control group. The experimental group was given meridian pressure for 10 minutes daily for 2 weeks. The data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0 program. The chi-square-test and t-test were used for the two groups' homogeneity, and t-test was used for the hypothesis test.
RESULTS
Manual muscle test, ROMs of wrist extension, elbow flexion, and shoulder extension of the experimental group increased compared to the control group. Shoulder pain and index finger circumference of the experimental group decreased compared to the control group. The experimental group showed to have less discomfort of ADLs than the control group.
CONCLUSION
The study results verified that meridian pressure is effective for improving the functions of hemiplegic patients' upper extremities as well as reducing discomfort of ADLs.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explain the effects of upper extremity exercise program on hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: The research was designed by a non-equivalent pretest-posttest way. The data were collected from February to August 2003 at a community health center located in Seoul. The study subjects were a conveniently selected group of 27 hemiplegic patients. The subjects were divided into two groups, the experimental group and the control group. 14 subjects were assigned to the experimental group in which the subjects did the upper extremity exercise training for 2 hours once a week during four weeks, while 13 subjects were assigned to the control group. The outcomes were evaluated on the basis of the upper extremity motor ability(hand power, pinch power, upper extremity ROMs), amount of motor use and the degree of depression. RESULT: 1. After treatment, the motor abilities of the affected upper extremity(hand power, pinch power, ROMs of wrist flexion/extension, shoulder extension) were significantly different between the two groups. However, there were no significant differences in elbow and shoulder flexion between experimental and control group. 2. After treatment, amount of motor use of affected upper extremity were significantly different between the two groups. 3. After treatment, the degree of depression were significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In considering these results, the upper extremity exercise program could be effective for hemiplegic patients by improving the function of their upper extremity. Long-term studies are needed to determine the effects of upper extremity exercise program.