Acupuncture for patients with atopic dermatitis: A systematic review protocol

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Dermatology
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Current AD treatments have limitations, necessitating exploration of alternative therapies.
• Acupuncture is a traditional therapy with potential benefits for AD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating atopic dermatitis.
• To synthesize current evidence on acupuncture's impact on AD symptoms and patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, etc.).
• Inclusion of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews.
• Risk of bias assessment using Cochrane Collaboration's tools.
• Data synthesis using Review Manager 5.3.

Main Results:

• Assessment of acupuncture's effectiveness in improving atopic dermatitis severity.
• Evaluation of acupuncture's safety profile in AD patients.
• Analysis of impact on specific measures like Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM).

Conclusions:

• This review will provide high-quality, recent evidence on acupuncture for atopic dermatitis.
• Findings will inform clinical decision-making for AD management.
• The study aims to clarify acupuncture's role in improving quality of life for AD patients.