Thread-embedding acupuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc: Protocol for a systematic review and...

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD) is a common condition with significant healthcare costs.
• Existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) for LHIVD have limitations due to poor assessment methods and high risk of bias.
• A comprehensive systematic review is needed to evaluate the current evidence for TEA's effectiveness and safety in treating LHIVD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness and safety of thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) in treating lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD).
• To assess the quality of existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on TEA for LHIVD and identify potential biases.
• To provide a reliable evidence base for clinicians and researchers regarding TEA as a treatment for LHIVD.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, CNKI, CiNii, J-STAGE, KoreaMed, KMbase, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS) will be conducted from inception to May 2018.
• Inclusion criteria will focus on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating any type of thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD).
• Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and meta-analysis will be performed using risk ratios or mean differences with 95% confidence intervals where possible. Sensitivity analyses will also be conducted.

Main Results:

• This section is not applicable as the abstract describes a planned systematic review and does not present results.
• The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019133060).
• Ethical approval is not required as the study does not involve direct patient data.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review will provide a rigorous evaluation of the evidence for thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) in managing lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD).
• The findings will help clarify the efficacy and safety of TEA, informing clinical practice and future research directions.
• The study aims to contribute to evidence-based decision-making for patients and healthcare providers considering TEA for LHIVD.