Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic eczema: A systematic review

IF 1.3 4区医学 Q4 INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.wjam.2026.02.003

Yi-xi ZHAO (赵怡茜) , Can ZHANG (张璨) , Yan-yan ZHAO (赵妍妍) , Sheng CHEN (陈晟)

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Abstract

Objective

To systemically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic eczema, and to provide evidence for acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of chronic eczema.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP database, Wanfang database and China Biology Medicine disc (CBM), from the inception of the database to April 23, 2025. The control group were sham acupuncture and moxibustion, no treatment, or conventional western medication. The intervention group were acupuncture and moxibustion therapy or acupuncture and moxibustion on the basis of the interventions as the control group. Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan5.4.0 software according to Cochrane systematic evaluation method.

Results

Ultimately, 53 RCTs were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with sham acupuncture and moxibustion, no treatment, or conventional western medication, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for eczema area and severity index (EASI) score (mean difference [MD] = −2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] −2.61 to −1.85; P<0.00001), visual analogue scale (VAS) score (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −1.45, 95% CI −2.04 to −0.87; P<0.00001), dermatology life quality index (DLQI) score (MD = −2.36, 95% CI −3.25 to −1.48; P<0.00001), immunoglobulin E (IgE) (SMD = −1.26, 95% CI −2.46 to −0.05; P = 0.04), the overall response rate (odds ratio [OR] = 4.58, 95% CI 3.84 to 5.46; P<0.00001) and the recurrence rate (OR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.21; P<0.00001) were all better than those in the control group, and there were no severe adverse events reported.

Conclusion

Acupuncture and moxibustion can reduce the lesion area and severity of the patients with chronic eczema, effectively alleviate pruritus, improve the quality of life and decrease serum IgE. This therapy owns high overall response rate with low recurrence rate, and without severe adverse events, which is associated with a favorable long-term prognosis.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42024621431.

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针灸治疗慢性湿疹：系统综述

目的系统评价针灸治疗慢性湿疹的有效性和安全性，为针灸治疗慢性湿疹提供依据。方法从PubMed、Cochrane图书馆、中国知网（CNKI）、维普数据库、万方数据库和中国生物医学光盘（CBM）中检索自数据库建立至2025年4月23日的随机对照试验（RCTs）。对照组为假针灸、不治疗或常规西药治疗。干预组分别采用针灸疗法或在针灸治疗的基础上进行干预作为对照组。采用RevMan5.4.0软件，按照Cochrane系统评价法进行meta分析。结果最终纳入53项rct。meta分析结果显示，与假针灸、未治疗、或常规西药治疗组相比，针灸治疗组湿疹面积及严重程度指数（EASI）评分（平均差值[MD] =−2.23,95%可信区间[CI]−2.61 ~−1.85;P<0.00001）、视觉模拟量表（VAS）评分(标准化平均差值[SMD] =−1.45,95% CI−2.04 ~−0.87；两组患者的皮肤生活质量指数（DLQI）评分（MD = - 2.36, 95% CI - 3.25 ~ - 1.48; P<0.00001）、免疫球蛋白E (IgE) （SMD = - 1.26, 95% CI - 2.46 ~ - 0.05; P = 0.04）、总有效率（比值比[OR] = 4.58, 95% CI 3.84 ~ 5.46; P<0.00001）、复发率（OR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.09 ~ 0.21; P<0.00001）均优于对照组，且无严重不良事件报告。结论针灸可缩小慢性湿疹患者的病变面积和严重程度，有效缓解瘙痒，提高生活质量，降低血清IgE。该疗法总有效率高，复发率低，无严重不良事件，长期预后良好。普洛斯彼罗注册号crd42024621431。

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来源期刊

World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE-

CiteScore

1.30

自引率

28.60%

发文量

1089

审稿时长

50 days

期刊介绍： The focus of the journal includes, but is not confined to, clinical research, summaries of clinical experiences, experimental research and clinical reports on needling techniques, moxibustion techniques, acupuncture analgesia and acupuncture anesthesia.