Tan Kang, Yu Yunfeng, Liu Pei, Jiang Pengfei, Liu Yi, Lou Bidan, Peng Qinghua
School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
Acupuncture-Tuina-Rehabilitation Department, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Jun 10;12:1584296. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1584296. eCollection 2025.
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, is widely used for the management of amblyopia. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with conventional treatments for amblyopia.
We searched eight databases for relevant studies published before December 31, 2024. Subsequently, the retrieved literature underwent a rigorous screening process based on pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thereafter, the basic information, outcome data, and risk of bias of the included studies were statistically analyzed. RevMan5.3 was employed to perform meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and assessment of publication bias. Additionally, GRADEpro3.6 was utilized to assess the quality of evidence for the outcomes.
Ten trials involving 918 eyes were included. The meta-analysis demonstrated that, compared with to the conventional treatment, the acupuncture combined with conventional treatment significantly improved the clinical efficacy rate (relative risk [RR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-1.43, < 0.00001, GRADE: low), the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) [mean difference (MD) 0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.15, = 0.03, GRADE: very low], and the amplitude of pattern visual evoked potential (P-VEP) P wave (MD 3.24, 95% CI 1.42-5.05, = 0.0005, GRADE: low), while reduced the stereoacuity (MD -3.59, 95% CI -5.97 to 1.20, = 0.003, GRADE: very low) and the latency of P-VEP P wave (MD -7.44, 95% CI -11.71 to -3.18, = 0.0006, GRADE: very low). However, acupuncture may increase the adverse reaction rate (RR 5.57, 95% CI 1.01-30.84, = 0.05, GRADE: low). Funnel plots indicated no publication bias in the clinical efficacy rate, latency of P-VEP P wave, amplitude of P-VEP P wave, or adverse events. Nevertheless, potential publication bias was detected for BCVA and stereoacuity.
Compared to conventional treatment, acupuncture combined with conventional treatment effectively improved visual acuity in amblyopia patients, although it may increase the risk of adverse events. Considering that these adverse events are mild, acupuncture still has the potential to serve as a complementary treatment for amblyopia. However, these findings need to be further validated through large-scale and high-quality studies.
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251063432, identifier CRD420251063432.
针灸作为一种中医疗法，被广泛应用于弱视的治疗。本研究旨在对针灸联合传统疗法治疗弱视的疗效和安全性进行荟萃分析。
我们检索了八个数据库，查找2024年12月31日前发表的相关研究。随后，根据预先设定的纳入和排除标准，对检索到的文献进行严格筛选。之后，对纳入研究的基本信息、结局数据和偏倚风险进行统计分析。采用RevMan5.3进行荟萃分析、敏感性分析和发表偏倚评估。此外，使用GRADEpro3.6评估结局的证据质量。
纳入了10项试验，涉及918只眼。荟萃分析表明，与传统治疗相比，针灸联合传统治疗显著提高了临床有效率（相对危险度[RR] 1.31，95%置信区间[CI] 1.21 - 1.43，P < 0.00001，GRADE分级：低）、最佳矫正视力（BCVA）[平均差（MD）0.08，95% CI 0.01 - 0.15，P = 0.03，GRADE分级：极低]以及图形视觉诱发电位（P - VEP）P波的波幅（MD 3.24，95% CI 1.42 - 5.05，P = 0.0005，GRADE分级：低），同时降低了立体视锐度（MD -3.59，95% CI -5.97至 -1.20，P = 0.003，GRADE分级：极低）和P - VEP P波的潜伏期（MD -7.44，95% CI -11.71至 -3.18，P = 0.0006，GRADE分级：极低）。然而，针灸可能会增加不良反应发生率（RR 5.57，95% CI 1.01 - 30.84，P = 0.05，GRADE分级：低）。漏斗图显示在临床有效率、P - VEP P波潜伏期、P - VEP P波波幅或不良事件方面无发表偏倚。然而，在BCVA和立体视锐度方面检测到潜在的发表偏倚。
与传统治疗相比，针灸联合传统治疗有效提高了弱视患者的视力，尽管可能会增加不良事件的风险。考虑到这些不良事件较轻，针灸仍有潜力作为弱视的辅助治疗方法。然而，这些发现需要通过大规模、高质量的研究进一步验证。
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251063432，标识符CRD420251063432 。
