Acupoint Stimulation in Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of acupoint stimulation therapy on patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods: A systematic literature search of electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL and Chinese database) was conducted for randomized controlled trials comparing acupoint stimulation with other treatments in OSAHS patients. Literature collected in this paper was published up to May 2016, and random effects meta-analyses were performed by RevMen 5.3 software. Results: 703 patients from 10 trials were included. Comparison between acupoint stimulation and conventional treatment to OSAHS patients, showed significant differences in AHI ([WMD=-9.71, 95% CI (-11.63, -7.78), P<0.00001]), SaO2min ([WMD=4.20, 95% CI (2.26, 6.14), P<0.00001]), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores ([WMD=- 3.99, 95%CI (-5.83,-2.15), p<0.0001]). However, significant difference between acupoint stimulation and CPAP treatment to OSAHS was not observed. Conclusion: Evidence from this study suggests that stimulate acupoints therapy is effective in improving AHI, SaO2min and ESS in patients with OSAHS.