The state of evidence in acupuncture: A review of metaanalyses and systematic reviews of acupuncture evidence (update 2017-2022)
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Over the last decades, acupuncture research has increased drastically. As a result, it has become more and more difficult to oversee the amount of evidence concerning its effect in various medical conditions. Different comparative reviews aimed to roughly assess individual strength of acupuncture evidence, covering the years 2005-2017. Our review intends to assess the level of acupuncture evidence for any medical condition available, concerning the years 2017-2022.
METHODS: We searched the pubmed database for 'acupuncture' and filtered the results towards systematic reviews and metanalyses (SR/MA). Results were allocated towards medical disciplines and sorted to medical conditions. Each SR/MA was rated concerning quality of review (QoR), quality of data (QoD), and quality of evidence (QoE). To facilitate a rough overview, results were assessed into either of four categories: i) evidence of positive effect, ii) evidence of potential positive effect, iii) insufficient/unclear evidence, iv) no evidence of effect/evidence of no effect.
RESULTS: After considering exclusion criteria, 862 SR/MA remained for evaluation. Results were allocated and sorted as described, resulting in 184 medical conditions. Of these, in ten medical conditions SR/MA supported evidence of positive effect: chronic pain, low-back pain, knee osteoarthritis, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), migraine, tension-type headache, cancer-related fatigue, menopausal symptoms, female infertility…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
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