Acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

BackgroundThe evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is insufficient. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on CTS through a comprehensive literature search.MethodsEnglish and Chinese databases were searched from their inceptions until 27 October 2022 to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of acupuncture on CTS. Two reviewers independently selected studies that met the eligibility criteria, extracted the required data, assessed the risk of bias using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (ROB 2), and evaluated the quality of reporting for acupuncture interventions using the Revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA). The primary outcomes were symptom severity and functional status, while secondary outcomes included pain intensity, responder rate, and electrophysiological parameters. Review Manager software (version 5.4.1) was used for data analysis. The certainty of the evidence was rated with GRADEpro (version 3.6) software.ResultsWe included 16 RCTs with a total of 1,025 subjects. The overall risk of bias was rated as low in one RCT, some concerns in 14, and high in one. Compared with night splints, acupuncture alone was more effective in relieving pain, but there were no differences in symptom severity and functional status. Acupuncture alone had no advantage over medicine in improving symptom severity and electrophysiological parameters. As an adjunctive treatment, acupuncture might benefit CTS in terms of symptom severity, functional status, pain intensity, and electrophysiological parameters, and it was superior to medicine in improving the above outcomes. Few acupuncture-related adverse events were reported. The above evidence had a low or very low degree of certainty.ConclusionAcupuncture as an adjunctive treatment may be effective for patients with CTS. Additionally, more rigorous studies with objective outcomes are needed to investigate the effect of acupuncture in contrast with sham acupuncture or other active treatments.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=329925, identifier CRD42022329925.

Akupunktur und Schmerz

“…Das Karpaltunnelsyndrom (KTS) ist das häufigste Engpasssyndrom des N. medianus; es kommt zu Schmerzen und Kribbelparästhesien der Finger mit anschließenden Lähmungen und Sensibilitätsverlust im späteren Verlauf. Die systematische Übersicht der Literatur verdeutlicht, dass Akupunktur zur Linderung der Schmerzen bei Patienten mit KTS effektiver ist als eine Reihe konventioneller Vorgehensweisen [17].…”

Tradition trifft Wissenschaft – Update Akupunktur

“…Das Karpaltunnelsyndrom (KTS) ist das häufigste Engpasssyndrom des N. medianus; es kommt zu Schmerzen und Kribbelparästhesien der Finger mit anschließenden Lähmungen und Sensibilitätsverlust im späteren Verlauf. Die systematische Übersicht der Literatur verdeutlicht, dass Akupunktur zur Linderung der Schmerzen bei Patienten mit KTS effektiver ist als eine Reihe konventioneller Vorgehensweisen 19 .…”

A Data Mining Study for Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

“…, TE4(43), Ashi(37), LI10(35), LU10(31), SI5(25), HT7(23), LU5(18), LU8(18), PC5(16), EX-UE8 (14), PC3(12), LU7(11), LU9(11), EX-UE9(11), TE3(10), LU6 (9), HT3 (9), SI4 (8), EX-UE2 (8), PC4 (7), LI6 (6), TE2 (6), SI3 (5), TE10 (5), SI6 (4), ST36(3), LI12 (3), SI8 (3), HT2 (3), HT8 (3), Bizhong (3), EX-UE11 (3), EX-UE10 (3), SI7 (2), HT5 (2), LI2 (1), LI3 (1), LI8 (1), LI13 (1), LI7…”