AUTHOR=Li Limeng , Huang Yingxue , An Chengfei , Jing Ning , Xu Chuhan , Wang Xiaoyu , Li Huanan , Tan Tao 

TITLE=Acupuncture in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a meta-analysis and data mining

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1442841

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2024.1442841

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>The efficacy and acupoint selection of acupuncture in treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remain controversial. This study aims to explore the specific efficacy and acupoint selection of acupuncture in treating CIPN through a meta-analysis and data mining.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>Searching for clinical trials on acupuncture treatment for CIPN in 8 databases, evaluating its efficacy and safety through a meta-analysis, and exploring its acupoint selection through data mining.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>The meta-analysis included 21 studies and 2,121 patients, showing that compared with the control group, the acupuncture group could significantly improve neuropathic pain intensity (SMD = −0.66, 95% CI [−1.07, −0.25], <italic>p</italic> = 0.002), significantly reduce the NCI-CTCAE (MD = −0.29, 95%CI [−0.50, −0.08], <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), significantly reduce the FACT-NXT score (MD = 2.09, 95% CI [0.73,3.45], <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), significantly increase the motor conduction velocities (MCV) of median nerve (MD = 2.38, 95% CI [2.10, 2.67], <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), the sensory conduction velocities (SCV) of the median nerve (MD = 0.56, 95 %CI [−1.45, 2.57], <italic>p</italic> = 0.58), the SCV of the tibial nerve (MD = 1.78, 95% CI [0.50, 3.05], <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and the SCV of sural nerves (MD = 4.60, 95% CI [0.17, 9.02], <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), as well as improving the quality of life score (MD =7.35, 95% CI [1.53, 13.18], <italic>p</italic> = 0.01). Data mining showed that the core acupoints for acupuncture treatment of CIPN were LI4, ST36, LI11, LR3, and SP6.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>Acupuncture can improve the neuropathic pain intensity, the intensity of the CIPN, MCV of the median nerve, SCV of the tibial nerve and peroneal nerve, quality of life, and has good safety in CIPN patients. LI4 (Hegu), ST36 (Zusanli), LI11 (Quchi), LR3 (Taichong), and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) are the core acupuncture points for treating CIPN, and this protocol has the potential to become a supplementary treatment for CIPN.</p></sec><sec id="sec04"><title>Systematic review registration</title><p><ext-link xlink:href="https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero" ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero</ext-link>, identifier CRD42024551137.</p></sec>