Traditional Chinese Medicine Based Acupoint Application for Asthma Treatment in Children: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: By conducting a systematic review of the efficacy of acupoint application on children with asthma.

Methods: We searched Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) and English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) for studies from the establishment of the database to October 2021. The included literature studies were randomized control studies investigating the treatment of asthma in children by acupoint application. The primary outcomes included the cure rate, the resolution time of cough, and the resolution time of wheezing. The secondary outcomes included pulmonary function and interleukins. Stata 15 and RevMan 5.4 were used to analyze the extracted data.

Results: A total of 24 related studies were included containing 2716 cases. The meta-analysis showed that TCM group was superior to control group in terms of cure rate, pulmonary function (FEV1), and resolution time of wheezing in children with asthma [RR = 1.26,95% (1.21,1.31), P < 0.05; SMD = 0.81, 95%CI (0.05,1.56), P < 0.05; WMD = -1.40, 95%CI (-1.75, -1.05), P < 0.05].

Conclusions: The present study shows that acupoint application is an effective treatment for children with asthma in China, especially in alleviating wheezing and improving quality of life.