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The Effectiveness of Acupressure on Sleep Quality in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of
Chenxi Yang1, Yangxi Huang1, Weihong Ling1
1School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Aims:
To examine the effectiveness of acupressure on sleep quality in cancer patients and to identify the population-level and intervention-level characteristics associated with the intervention outcome of sleep quality.
Design:
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data Sources:
PubMed, EMBASE, APA PsycInfo, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and WanFang were searched for eligible randomised controlled trials from inception to April 2024.
Methods:
Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomised Trials 2.0. A random-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses and the meta-regression aimed to investigate potential heterogeneity and identify characteristics that may be associated with more favourable acupressure outcomes.
Results:
In total, 22 randomised controlled trials involving 2113 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with various control groups, acupressure exhibited a significant beneficial effect on sleep quality in cancer patients at post-intervention (SMD = -1.38, 95% CI [-1.81, -0.95], p < 0.001) and at 4-week follow-up (SMD = -0.33, 95% CI [-0.56, -0.10], p = 0.004). Acupressure also showed statistically significant improvements in sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.77, 95% CI [0.27, 1.26], p = 0.002) and total sleep time (SMD = 0.68, 95% CI [0.15, 1.22], p = 0.010) at post-intervention. None of the characteristics significantly affected the overall effect size on sleep quality.
Conclusions:
Acupressure appears to be a promising intervention for enhancing sleep quality among cancer patients. Future studies should elucidate the long-term effects of acupressure on sleep quality, identify effective acupressure characteristics and determine which types of cancer patients benefit from this intervention.
Impact:
This study provides a comprehensive summary of evidence supporting the use of acupressure to enhance sleep quality in cancer patients and demonstrates its effectiveness in clinical nursing practice.
Reporting Method:
PRISMA 2020 statement.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No Patient or Public Contribution.
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