Electroacupuncture for lumbar disc herniation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Integrative Medicine
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of low back pain.
• Conservative treatments are sought for LDH management.
• Electroacupuncture is a potential therapeutic option for LDH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture for treating LDH.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on electroacupuncture for LDH.
• To assess the efficacy and potential side effects of electroacupuncture in LDH patients.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
• Searches conducted in major electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, CNKI, etc.) up to February 2020.
• Primary outcome: Japanese Orthopedic Association Scores; Secondary outcomes: VAS, ODI, PSQI, SAS, SDS, relapse rate.
• Bias risk assessed using Cochrane RevMan V5.3.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive review and evaluation of existing evidence for electroacupuncture in LDH treatment will be provided.
• The study synthesizes findings on the effectiveness of electroacupuncture for lumbar disc herniation.
• Analysis includes various outcome measures to assess treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review will offer new evidence on the effectiveness and side effects of electroacupuncture for LDH.
• The findings will aid in understanding electroacupuncture's role in managing lumbar disc herniation.
• No formal ethical approval was required due to the non-personalized nature of the data.