Efficacy of acupuncture for cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Yunlan Liu; Mengjuan Ren; Zhuoran Kuang; Xufei Luo; Huishan Li; Yikai Zhang; Wanxin Wen; Yefeng Cai; Xiaojia Ni; Yaolong Chen

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2023.100925

Efficacy of acupuncture for cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Integr Med Res. 2023 Mar;12(1):100925. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100925. Epub 2023 Feb 5.

Authors

Yunlan Liu¹, Mengjuan Ren¹, Zhuoran Kuang², Xufei Luo³, Huishan Li², Yikai Zhang², Wanxin Wen², Yefeng Cai^{2

4}, Xiaojia Ni^{2

4}, Yaolong Chen^{1

3

5

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, The Second Clinical School of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
³ Evidence-based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research on Emergency in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Research Unit of Evidence-Based Evaluation and Guidelines, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2021RU017), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
⁶ Lanzhou University, an Affiliate of the Cochrane China Network, Lanzhou, China.
⁷ Lanzhou University GRADE Center, Lanzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Cerebral resuscitation is one of the main therapeutic aims in the treatment of cardiac arrest (CA) patients who experience a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). However, the therapeutic effects of current treatments are not ideal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of neurological function of acupuncture combined with conventional cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitationthe (CPCR) for patients after ROSC.

Methods: Seven electronic databases and other related websites were searched to identify studies on acupuncture combined with conventional CPCR for patients after ROSC. R software was used to conduct a meta-analysis, and the outcomes that could not be pooled were analyzed using a descriptive analysis.

Results: Seven RCTs involving 411 participants who had experienced ROSC were eligible for inclusion. The main acupoints were Neiguan (PC6), Shuigou (DU26), Baihui (DU20), Yongquan (KI1), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Compared to conventional CPCR, acupuncture combined with conventional CPCR led to significantly higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores on day 3 (mean difference (MD)=0.89, 95% CI: 0.43, 1.35, I² = 0%), day 5 (MD = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.27, 2.15; I² = 0%), and day 7 (MD = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.35, 2.50; I² = 0%).

Conclusion: Acupuncture-assisted conventional CPCR may have a potential role in improving neurological function in CA patients after ROSC, but the certainty of evidence is very low and more high-quality studies are required.

Protocol registration: This review was registered at the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42021262262.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Cardiac arrest; Cerebral resuscitation; Meta-analysis; Randomized controlled trials.

Publication types

Review