Filiform needle acupuncture for copd: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine
• Acupuncture Research

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health concern.
• Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly explored for COPD management.
• This study focuses on filiform needle acupuncture as a potential COPD treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of filiform needle acupuncture for COPD.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on filiform needle acupuncture in COPD patients.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of 11 databases was conducted for RCTs up to May 2019.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed independently by two reviewers.
• Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.

Main Results:

• Twenty-eight trials involving filiform needle acupuncture were included.
• Compared to no acupuncture, benefits were observed in quality of life, exercise capacity, and lung function (FEV1).
• Compared to sham acupuncture, significant improvements were noted in dyspnea, quality of life, exercise capacity (6MWT), and lung function (FEV1, FEV1/FVC).

Conclusions:

• Filiform needle acupuncture shows potential benefits for managing COPD symptoms and improving physiological measures.
• The current evidence is based on low-quality studies.
• Well-designed future trials are necessary to confirm the efficacy of filiform needle acupuncture for COPD.