Acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Integrative Medicine
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Functional constipation (FC) affects a significant portion of the population, necessitating effective treatment options.
• Acupoint catgut embedding therapy is a potential treatment for FC, but its efficacy and safety require thorough evaluation.
• Current evidence on acupoint catgut embedding for FC needs systematic assessment to inform clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and assess the current evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation (FC).
• To provide an efficacy assessment to guide the clinical application of acupoint catgut embedding for FC.
• To compare the efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding with other treatments for FC.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across major biomedical databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus) and Chinese databases (CNKI, CSD, Wan Fang, CMB) up to December 2020.
• Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupoint catgut embedding with acupuncture, sham acupuncture, placebo, or other therapies for FC will be included.
• Outcomes such as spontaneous bowel movements, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Cleveland Clinic Score will be analyzed. Risk of bias and quality of evidence will be assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and GRADE guidelines. Meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan 5.3.

Main Results:

• This meta-analysis will synthesize evidence from RCTs to compare the efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding therapy against various control treatments for functional constipation.
• The review will provide a comparative analysis of different therapeutic approaches for FC, highlighting the effectiveness of acupoint catgut embedding.
• The findings will summarize current evidence regarding the comparative effectiveness of acupoint catgut embedding for FC.

Conclusions:

• The results of this meta-analysis are expected to inform clinicians in selecting optimal treatment strategies for patients suffering from functional constipation.
• This review aims to contribute to evidence-based decision-making for the management of FC.
• The findings may guide the clinical application of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation.