Efficacy and safety of moxibustion for ulcerative colitis: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a global chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and the poor efficacy of currently available pharmacological regimens makes the management of UC a great challenge. Moxibustion has shown great potential in the management of UC. However, its effectiveness and safety are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to synthesise the latest evidence regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of moxibustion for UC. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and SinoMed databases will be searched from inception to July 2023, to identify all randomised controlled trials with moxibustion for UC. The primary outcome will be clinical efficacy, as measured by validated scales. The serum inflammatory factor, colonoscopy results, quality of life, recurrence rate and adverse events will be the secondary outcomes. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool will be used to assess the methodological quality of each included trial. All data extraction will be carried out independently by two investigators. RevMan V.5.4 software will be used for data analysis and Cochran's Q statistic and I2 test will be used to assess heterogeneity between studies. In addition, we will perform subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses and publication bias if the available data are sufficient. The strength of evidence will be graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for this review. Our findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023425481.

Efficacy and safety of community-based moxibustion for primary hypertension: A randomized controlled trial with patient preference arms.

Moxibustion has been shown to have a potential antihypertensive effect, but its applicability for the primary care of hypertension is unclear. The authors conducted a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) with patient preference arms to investigate the effect, safety, cost-effectiveness, and compliance of moxibustion in community patients with hypertension. Patients with primary hypertension were enrolled from seven communities randomly or nonrandomly assigned to receive self-administered moxibustion + the original hypertensive regimen or the original hypertensive regimen alone for 6 months. The authors mainly evaluated the effects of moxibustion on hypertensive outcomes and adverse events. As a result, a total of 160 and 240 patients were recruited into the randomized and nonrandomized arms, respectively, with 87.5% completing the follow-up. At month 6, there was a significantly greater reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (difference: -10.57 mmHg), a higher proportion of responders (82.2% vs. 53.7%; odds ratio 4.00), and better improvements in hypertensive symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in the moxibustion group than in the control group in the randomized population, but there was no significant between-group difference in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The nonrandomized findings showed the same effect direction for all outcomes, except for DBP. All moxibustion-related adverse events were mild. In conclusion, moxibustion can reduce SBP and improve hypertensive symptoms and QoL in community patients with hypertension, with good safety and low cost, although its effect on DBP remains uncertain. The findings suggest that moxibustion may be an appropriate technique for community primary care of hypertension.

Moxibustion as an Adjuvant Therapy for Cancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Pain is one of the most common and feared symptoms among cancer patients. Unrelieved pain denies patients comfort and greatly affects their overall quality of life. Moxibustion is commonly used to manage chronic pain. However, its efficacy on cancer pain remains inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of moxibustion for cancer pain. Methods: We searched seven databases to obtain articles about moxibustion combined with pharmacotherapy for cancer pain published before November 2022. All data extraction was carried out independently by two investigators. RevMan 5.4 software was used for data analysis. Results: A total of ten trials involving 999 cases were included. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that moxibustion combined with pharmacotherapy was significantly better than drug therapy alone in improving pain relief rate (RR =1.16, 95% CI = [1.04, 1.30], P = 0.01), reducing pain scores (SMD = -1.43, 95% CI = [-2.09, -0.77], P < 0.0001), Shortening the onset of analgesia (MD = -12.07, 95% CI = [-12.91, -11.22], P < 0.00001), prolonging the duration of analgesia (MD = 3.69, 95% CI = [3.21, 4.18], P < 0.00001), and improving quality of life (SMD = 2.48, 95% CI = [0.67, 4.29], P = 0.007). In addition, moxibustion combined with pharmacotherapy can effectively reduce adverse reactions of drugs (RR =0.35, 95% CI = [0.21, 0.57], P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The evidence in this review supports moxibustion as an effective adjuvant therapy for cancer pain management. However, high-quality RCTs are needed to further confirm these findings. Registration Number: PROSPERO CRD42022370942.

Moxibustion for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This review aimed at systematically evaluating the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: Relevant trials were searched in seven digital databases up to January 2021. After literature screening, data extraction, and literature quality evaluation, the included studies were meta-analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software. The evidence level was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). RESULTS: Fifteen studies involving 1030 CFS participants were included. Meta-analyses showed a favorable effect of moxibustion on the total effective rate compared with acupuncture (OR = 4.58, 95%CI = [2.85, 7.35], P < 0.00001) and drugs (OR = 6.36, 95%CI = [3.48, 11.59], P < 0.00001). Moxibustion also appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) (WMD = -2.20, 95% CI = [-3.16, -1.24], P < 0.00001) and fatigue assessment instrument (FAI) (WMD = -16.36, 95% CI = [-26.58, -6.14], P=0.002) compared with the control group. In addition, among the 15 included studies, only two studies reported adverse events related to moxibustion, and the symptoms were relatively mild. The quality of evidence based on the 15 included trials was assessed as moderate to very low. CONCLUSIONS: Based on limited evidence, moxibustion might be an effective and safe complementary therapy for CFS, which can be recommended to manage CFS. Because of the limited level of evidence in this review, further high-quality trials are still needed to confirm these findings.

Moxibustion for diarrhea in children: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Infantile Diarrhea is a common and frequent digestive tract disease in children. The causes of this disease are relatively complex and the onset time is relatively long. At present, there is no specific treatment method in Western medicine. Moxibustion is a simple and painless external treatment. However, due to the lack of high-quality evidence to support the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion therapy for pediatric diarrhea. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to verify the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion in the treatment of pediatric diarrhea. METHODS: We will use PubMed, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang Database, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Science Journal Database, China Biomedical Literature Database to carry out a progressive search of diseases. The study will be screened according to eligibility criteria, and quality of the study will be assessed by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. RESULTS: Through this study, we will systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion in the treatment of pediatric diarrhea. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will provide reliable evidence of the safety and effectiveness of moxibustion in the treatment of infantile diarrhea, and provide a therapeutic basis for the future clinical application. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Since this paper does not involve ethical issues, it does not need to pass the review of the ethics committee. It can only collect relevant literature and study. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202130091.

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain-Related Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate the existing evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in relieving chronic pain-related depression (CPRD). Methods: We searched seven online databases to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for CPRD published before September 2020. We included studies that used acupuncture as the intervention group, with or without a control group, and the control group was treated with conventional drugs. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. For outcomes, assessments were performed using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and adverse events. Results: Eight studies involving 636 participants were identified and included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that single acupuncture treatment and drug treatment have the same effect in improving the HAMD score (MD = -0.14, 95% CI = [-0.88, 0.59], P = 0.71) and alleviating the VAS score (MD = -0.42, 95% CI = [-1.10, -0.27], P = 0.23), but acupuncture treatment is safer (OR = 0.03, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.21], P = 0.0003). In addition, acupuncture combined with drugs (control group) is more beneficial than single-drug treatment in improving the HAMD score (MD = -2.95, 95% CI = [-3.55, -2.36], P < 0.00001) and alleviating the VAS score (MD = -1.06, 95% CI = [-1.65, -0.47], P = 0.0004). Conclusion: Acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for CPRD, and acupuncture combined with drug therapy is more effective than single-drug therapy. Nevertheless, the conclusions were limited due to the low quality and a small number of included studies.

Acupotomy therapy for cervical vertigo: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acupotomy has been widely used to relieve cervical vertigo (CV). However, the efficacy of acupotomy for CV is uncertain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the acupotomy for CV. METHODS: The following electronic databases will be searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for inclusion in the review from inception to April 2020: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Two researchers will independently select studies, collect data, and assess the methodology quality by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis will be completed by RevMan V.5.3 software. RESULTS: This systematic review will provide an assessment of the current state of acupotomy for CV, aiming to assess the efficacy and safety of acupotomy for Patients with CV. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will provide a credible Evidence-based for the clinical treatment of CV with acupotomy.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019134712.

Acupotomy for third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome: A protocol for systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Acupotomy has been widely used clinically to relieve low back pain. However, the efficacy of acupotomy for the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome is still uncertain. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy therapy for the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome. METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials will be searched from the databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from their inception to May 2020. Two reviewers will independently select studies, collect data, and assess the methodology quality by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The RevMan V.5.3 will be used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: This study will provide an assessment of the current state of acupotomy for the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome, aiming to show the efficacy and safety of acupotomy treatment. CONCLUSION: This study will provide evidence to judge whether acupotomy is an effective intervention for the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019134945.

Effect and safety of acupotomy in treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupotomy in treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Extensive literature searches were carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Issue 5, 2017), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database and Wanfang Database. All databases were retrieved from their inception until May 31, 2017. Randomized controlled trials incorporating acupotomy versus intra-articular sodium hyaluronate for knee osteoarthritis were included. According to Cochrane Reviews' Handbook (5.2), two reviewers screened each article and extracted data independently and were blinded to the findings of each reviewer. Meta-analysis was performed by the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: We identified 12 studies involving 1150 patients aged between 40 and 78 years old. The pooled analysis indicated that acupotomy showed a significant improvement for short-term effect [cure rate: odds ratio (OR) = 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.46, 2.85), P < 0.01; total effective rate: OR = 2.25, 95% CI (1.55, 3.28), P < 0.01; pain score: standard mean difference (SMD) = －1.02; 95% CI (－1.72, －0.31); P = 0.005; Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (WOMAC) score: SMD = －0.74; 95% CI (－1.11, －0.37); P < 0.01]; and also for long-term effect [total effective rate: OR = 2.99, 95%CI (1.88, 4.76), Z = 4.64, P < 0.01; pain score: SMD = －1.68; 95% CI (－2.14, －1.22); P < 0.001; WOMAC score: SMD = －0.91; 95% CI (－1.40, －0.41); P < 0.001]. In addition, there was no obvious difference between acupotomy group and control group in adverse events [OR = 2.13, 95%CI (0.14, 32.28), P = 0.58]. CONCLUSION: Acupotomy is a safe and effective treatment for KOA. However, due to the methodological deficiency of the included studies, well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to further confirm the findings.

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain-Related Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives. Acupuncture has been widely used to relieve chronic pain-related insomnia (CPRI). However, the efficacy of acupuncture for CPRI is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for CPRI. Methods. Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if acupuncture was compared to sham acupuncture or conventional drug therapies for treating CPRI. Two reviewers screened each study and extracted data independently. Statistical analyses were conducted by RevMan 5.3 software. Results. A total of nine studies involving 944 patients were enrolled. The pooled analysis indicated that acupuncture treatment was significantly better than control group in improving effective rate (OR = 8.09, 95%CI = [4.75, 13.79], P < 0.00001) and cure rate (OR = 3.17, 95%CI = [2.35, 4.29], P < 0.00001), but subgroup analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in improving cure rate (OR =10.36, 95% CI [0.53, 201.45], P=0.12) based on one included study. In addition, meta-analysis demonstrated that acupuncture group was superior to control group in debasing PSQI score (MD = -2.65, 95%CI = [-4.00, -1.30], P = 0.0001) and VAS score (MD = -1.44, 95%CI = [-1.58, -1.29], P < 0.00001). And there was no significant difference in adverse events (OR =1.73, 95%CI = [0.92, 3.25], P =0.09) between the two groups. Conclusions. Acupuncture therapy is an effective and safe treatment for CPRI, and this treatment can be recommended for the management of patients with CPRI. Due to the low quality and small sample size of the included studies, more rigorously designed RCTs with high quality and large sample size are recommended in future.

Acupotomy Therapy for Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: Acupotomy therapy is widely used for pain management. However, the efficacy of acupotomy on shoulder adhesive capsulitis (SAC) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy therapy for SAC. METHODS: We searched seven electronic databases to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupotomy for SAC published before April 2019. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of eight RCTs involving 501 patients were enrolled. Meta-analysis showed that acupotomy was significantly better than the control group in debasing the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score (MD = -0.97, 95% CI = [-1.49, -0.45], P=0.0003) and improving the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) (MD = 8.46, 95% CI = [1.04, 15.87], P=0.03), and there was no significant difference in adverse events (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = [0.34, 4.52], P=0.74) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Acupotomy therapy is an effective and safe treatment for SAC, and this treatment can be recommended for the management of SAC. Due to the low quality and small sample size of the included studies, more rigorously designed RCTs with high quality and large-scale are recommended in future.