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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Clinical Diabetes
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1424304

Auricular pressure as an adjuvant treatment for type 2 diabetes: data mining and meta-analysis

Provisionally accepted
Yunfeng Yu Yunfeng Yu 1,2Qin Xiang Qin Xiang 1*Xiu Liu Xiu Liu 1*Yuman Yin Yuman Yin 1*Siyang Bai Siyang Bai 1Rong Yu Rong Yu 1,2*
  • 1 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
  • 2 The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: This study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy and acupoint combinations of auricular pressure for treating type 2 diabetes. Methods: Eight common databases were searched for publications related to auricular pressure in type 2 diabetes as of November 2023. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of auricular pressure therapy. Data mining was used to analyze the core acupoints for auricular pressure. Results: Meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with the conventional treatment group, the combined auricular pressure and conventional treatment group had significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (mean difference [MD]: -0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.17 to -0.68; p < 0.00001), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (MD: -1.58; 95% CI: -2.04 to -1.12; p < 0.00001), glycated hemoglobin A1c (MD: -0.83; 95% CI: -1.19 to -0.48; p < 0.00001), total cholesterol (MD: -0.43; 95% CI: -0.72 to -0.14; p = 0.004), triglycerides (MD: -0.33; 95% CI: -0.64 to -0.03; p < 0.00001), systolic blood pressure (MD: -14.75; 95% CI: -24.46 to -5.05; p = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (MD: -10.32; 95% CI: -20.14 to -0.50; p = 0.04), and body mass index (MD: -1.74; 95% CI: -2.61 to -0.87; p < 0.0001), while adverse events were comparable (RR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.43 to 1.66; p = 0.61). Egger's test revealed no publication bias (p = 0.715). Data mining identified AH6a, TF4, AT4, CO18, and CO10 as core acupoints for treating type 2 diabetes with auricular pressure. Conclusion: Auricular pressure safely improves blood glucose and lipid levels, blood pressure, and body mass index in patients with type 2 diabetes. A regimen consisting of AH6a, TF4, AT4, CO18, and CO10 is expected to serve as a complementary treatment for type 2 diabetes.

    Keywords: Acupoints, Auricular pressure, type 2 diabetes, Meta-analysis, Data Mining, Integrative Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Received: 27 Apr 2024; Accepted: 30 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yu, Xiang, Liu, Yin, Bai and Yu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Qin Xiang, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
    Xiu Liu, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
    Yuman Yin, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
    Rong Yu, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China

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