Adverse events related to electroacupuncture: a systematic review of single case studies and case series

Electroacupuncture (EA) is used in the treatment of various diseases through the use of electrical stimulation. Reports of adverse events (AEs) associated with acupuncture are relatively consistent, but the safety of EA has been less well reported. In this systematic review, we provide a summary of the types of AEs related to EA in clinical practice.

Twelve electronic databases, including those in English (PubMed, Ovid-EMBASE, CENTRAL), Korean (KMbase, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS), Chinese (CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu) and Japanese (J-STAGE), were systematically searched for single case studies and case series through April 2018. There were no language restrictions. We included clinical studies in which EA was used as a key intervention and in which AEs that may have been causally related to EA were reported.

Thirty-seven studies, including 27 single case studies and 10 case series, were evaluated. The most frequently reported AEs were pallor (eight cases), skin pigmentation (eight cases), vertigo (seven cases), chest tightness (six cases), vomiting (six cases) and unconsciousness (five cases). Thirty-one cases (62%) achieved full recovery and three cases (6%) achieved partial recovery. There were also three cases of death (6%).

AEs related to EA included acupuncture-related AEs and serious AEs induced by electrical stimulation. Currently, specific stimulation conditions associated with EA-specific AEs are not identifiable due to inappropriate reporting. However, skin pigmentation, syncope or spasm, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock, cardiac emergencies, electrical burns, and potential internal organ injury are potential EA-specific AEs regarding which physicians should be cautious in clinical practice.