Acupuncture for the Treatment of Adults with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Grant, Sean; Colaiaco, Benjamin; Shanman, Roberta; Sorbero, Melony E.; Hempel, Susanne

doi:10.1080/15299732.2017.1289493

Cited by 40 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…Promising interventions, not yet examined in studies eligible for this review, are inter alias acupuncture, meditation-based interventions and the cognitive enhancer 3,4-Methylene-dioxy methamphetamine (MDMA). Meta-analyses revealed preliminary significant effects on PTSD-symptoms for meditation-based interventions and acupuncture as stand-alone treatments (Grant et al, 2018;Hilton et al, 2017). Furthermore, acupuncture and MDMA successfully augment active control conditions in adult PTSD samples (e.g.…”

Section: Further Promising Adjuvant Treatmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do adjuvant interventions improve treatment outcome in adult patients with posttraumatic stress disorder receiving trauma-focused psychotherapy? A systematic review

Michael

Schanz

Mattheus

et al. 2019

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background : According to clinical guidelines, trauma-focused psychotherapies (TF-PT) such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are recommended as first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). TF-CBT and EMDR are equally effective and have large effect sizes. However, many patients fail to respond or have comorbid symptoms or disorders that only partially decline with TF-PT. Thus, there is growing interest in augmenting TF-PT through adjuvant interventions. Objective : The current systematic review aims to assess whether adjuvant interventions improve outcome among adult PTSD patients receiving TF-PT. Methods : We searched the databases PubMed, PILOTS, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library for controlled clinical trials examining whether adjuvant interventions lead to more symptom reduction in adult PTSD patients receiving TF-PT. Thirteen randomized controlled trials fitted the inclusion criteria. These were evaluated for internal risk of bias using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions. Results : Most studies have a substantial risk for internal bias, mainly due to small sample sizes. Thus, no strong conclusion can be drawn from the current empirical evidence. Preliminary evidence suggests that exercise and cortisol administration may have an adjuvant effect on PTSD symptom reduction. Breathing biofeedback showed a trend for an adjuvant effect and an effect for accelerated symptom reduction. Conclusions : Currently, it is not possible to formulate evidence-based clinical recommendations regarding adjuvants interventions. While several adjuvant interventions hold the potential to boost the effectiveness of TF-PT, the realization of sufficiently powered studies is crucial to separate plausible ideas from interventions proven to work in practice.

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Section: Further Promising Adjuvant Treatmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do adjuvant interventions improve treatment outcome in adult patients with posttraumatic stress disorder receiving trauma-focused psychotherapy? A systematic review

Michael

Schanz

Mattheus

et al. 2019

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…However, most investigations have been focused on preoperative anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, or anxiety neurosis only, while there is a large vacancy of knowledge about the effect of acupuncture on specific anxiety disorders like panic disorder, phobias, or obsessivecompulsive disorders [13]. A recent meta-analysis advocates the use of acupuncture on patients having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [38]. It is worth mentioning that a large proportion of studies concerning anxiety have been utilizing auricular acupuncture and body acupuncture, whereas investigations on the use of scalp acupuncture are scarce.…”

Section: Anxiety Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scalp Acupuncture and Mental Disorders

Yau¹,

Ip²

2019

Acupuncture - Resolving Old Controversies and Pointing New Pathways

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While conventional treatments for many mental problems remain problematic and unsatisfactory in therapeutic outcomes, there is great demand for an effective yet economical treatment method that can alleviate the suffering of psychiatric patients. In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture on the scalp has been used for centuries. Not until recent decades did acupuncturists and clinicians develop new understandings and theories on the effect of scalp acupuncture. Upon elaboration on the therapeutic value of scalp acupuncture, it shows great potential in treating mental health disorders including depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and insomnia. Its profound treatment outcome in clinical use has caught clinicians' attention in recent years. However, controlled studies and investigations on its effect on psychiatric problems remain relatively small in number, and determinative evidence has yet to be found. In order to provide conclusive evidence on the use of scalp acupuncture to these disorders, more data from high-quality controlled trials are urgently needed. Since scalp acupuncture has advantages over the use of traditional acupuncture or body acupuncture in clinical and investigation settings, we are expecting a shift of attention from individualized acupuncture to a standardized universal scalp acupuncture treatment in clinical practice and academia.

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“…[ 9 ] Recently, the application of acupuncture therapy has been extended to include treatment for psychological symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as comorbidities for chronic pain, such as insomnia, depression, or anxiety. [ 10 , 11 ]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%