Efficacy of ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background: Pharmacopuncture, used for the treatment and management of musculoskeletal diseases, improves pain and functional outcomes. This study aimed to examine the practice trends, clinical effectiveness, and safety of ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture for various conditions. Methods: All clinical studies across 11 databases on ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture published before January 2024 were included, regardless of disease type and study design. Meta-analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane systematic review protocol using RevMan 5.4. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method was used for evidence-level rating. Results: From 16 studies with ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture, 9 randomized clinical trials, 4 chart reviews, and 3 case studies were included. A total of 685 patients from 9 randomized clinical studies were included in the meta-analysis. For all diseases, the percentage of patients showing improvement in pain reduction in the ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture group was higher than that in the unguided pharmacopuncture (risk ratio [RR]: 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–1.26) and usual care groups (RR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.07–1.41). Subgroup analyses for lumbar disease revealed that the percentage of patients showing improvement was higher in the ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture group than that in the unguided group (RR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.13–1.44). Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture is…
How strong is the evidence?
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. Reported size: 685 participants or records.
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