A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Moxibustion Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of moxibustion treatment for osteoarthritis. There were 9 databases used to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used moxibustion as treatment for osteoarthritis. The quality of methodology for the RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool [Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.3 Windows, The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark]. The inclusion criteria for this review was met by 27 RCTs. All studies were conducted in China. A 4-week moxibustion treatment period was the most common. EX-LE4 and SP10 and GB34 acupoints were most frequently selected in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The most commonly used evaluation index was the visual analog scale (VAS). All studies, including a meta-analysis showed that moxibustion treatments were statistically significantly effective at treating knee osteoarthritis. However, welldesigned randomized RCTs without a high risk of bias should be designed in the future.

Comparative effectiveness of moxibustion and acupuncture for the management of osteoarthritis knee: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…While no previous reviews directly compare these findings, there are several overviews, network meta-analyses, and pairwise meta-analyses that either compare these two interventions or assess the effectiveness of each compared to a control arm. Our findings align with these previous pieces of evidence, which also report a higher level of effectiveness for moxibustion in both the magnitude and direction of the association [ [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] ].…”

Oriental medicine as collaborating treatments with conventional treatments for knee osteoarthritis: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In the early studies on knee OA, studies comparing only one intervention were predominant. [2,6,[47][48][49] However, it is known that knee OA is not a disease that can be overcome with one treatment method, studies using multiple interventions are increasing recently. Also, it is indicated in the clinical practice guidelines that complex treatment or management is required for the treatment of knee OA.…”

“…[4] In Korea, various acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicines were used alone or in various combinations to reduce knee pain and improve knee function. [5][6][7][8] According to research studies, acupuncture has a protective effect against cartilage degeneration by inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis, and electroacupuncture effectively protects the joint and reduces pain. [9,10] Moxibustion improves the condition of the knee joint synovium by reducing interstitial edema and improving blood circulation and local inflammation.…”

Traditional Korean Medicine as Collaborating Treatments with Conventional Treatments for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“… 7 Considering that moxibustion is an adjunct therapy to acupuncture, the effect of moxibustion as a treatment for OA is also clinically relevant. 8 Herbal medicine or herbal products have been used and recommended by many clinicians. They have been shown to alleviate the symptoms of knee OA and to reduce costs.…”