Cupping for patients with chronic urticaria: A systematic review protocol

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Dermatology
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Chronic urticaria (CU) is a common skin condition with significant impact on quality of life.
• Cupping therapy is a traditional practice with potential therapeutic benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cupping therapy for patients diagnosed with chronic urticaria.
• To synthesize available evidence regarding cupping's impact on CU symptom severity and patient well-being.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, etc.) up to May 2019.
• Inclusion of randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized controlled trials investigating cupping for CU.
• Meta-analysis using RevMan V.5.3, with fixed-effect or random-effect models based on heterogeneity; descriptive analysis if meta-analysis is inappropriate.

Main Results:

• This systematic review will synthesize evidence on the total effective rate of cupping therapy in CU patients.
• Secondary outcomes will include assessment of skin disease quality of life index scores, adverse events, and recurrence rates.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review aims to provide robust evidence to determine the efficacy and safety of cupping as an intervention for chronic urticaria.
• Findings will inform clinical decision-making regarding the integration of cupping therapy in CU management.