AUTHOR=Yu Yunfeng , Xiang Qin , Liu Xiu , Yin Yuman , Bai Siyang , Yu Rong 

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1424304

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2024.1424304

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>This study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy and acupoint combinations of auricular pressure for treating type 2 diabetes.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>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.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>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; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.00001), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (MD: -1.58; 95% CI: -2.04 to -1.12; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.00001), glycated hemoglobin A1c (MD: -0.83; 95% CI: -1.19 to -0.48; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.00001), total cholesterol (MD: -0.43; 95% CI: -0.72 to -0.14; <italic>p</italic> = 0.004), triglycerides (MD: -0.33; 95% CI: -0.64 to -0.03; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.00001), systolic blood pressure (MD: -14.75; 95% CI: -24.46 to -5.05; <italic>p</italic> = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (MD: -10.32; 95% CI: -20.14 to -0.50; <italic>p</italic> = 0.04), and body mass index (MD: -1.74; 95% CI: -2.61 to -0.87; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001), while adverse events were comparable (RR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.43 to 1.66; <italic>p</italic> = 0.61). Egger’s test revealed no publication bias (<italic>p</italic> = 0.715). Data mining identified AH<sub>6a</sub>, TF<sub>4</sub>, AT<sub>4</sub>, CO<sub>18</sub>, and CO<sub>10</sub> as core acupoints for treating type 2 diabetes with auricular pressure.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>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 AH<sub>6a</sub>, TF<sub>4</sub>, AT<sub>4</sub>, CO<sub>18</sub>, and CO<sub>10</sub> is expected to serve as a complementary treatment for type 2 diabetes.</p></sec><sec><title>Systematic review registration</title><p><uri xlink:href="http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=524887" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=524887</uri>, identifier CRD42024524887.</p></sec>