Acupoints Compatibility Rules of Acupuncture for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Based on Data Mining Technology: A Systematic Review.

Background: We aimed to comprehensively summarise and classify the rules for selecting acupoints for acupuncture for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs).

Methods: We searched relevant literature in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database from the inception of the database to 18 Aug 2023. Following literature screening, data extraction, standardised processing, frequency analysis, association rules analysis, and correlation analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel, IBM SPSS Modeller, Cytoscape, and R software.

Results: Zusanli (ST36), Tianshu (ST25), and Shangjuxu (ST37) were the most used acupoints. The stomach meridian, conception vessel, and bladder meridian were the more commonly used. The Five-shu points were the most used acupoints. The Shangjuxu-Tianshu (ST37-ST25) combination was the most common acupuncture combination in clinical settings. Furthermore, the acupoints ST36, ST25, Zhongwan (CV12), and Guanyuan (CV4) constituted the core groups of acupoints.

Conclusion: We summarized the current characteristics of acupuncture treatment for FGIDs, including the selection of acupoints, meridians, and specific acupoints. The stomach meridian of foot-yangming is frequently utilised, as it aligns with the core meridian theory of "Where the meridian passes through, that's the key point of healing" and "The relationship between meridians and internal Zangfu ()". The treatment of FGIDs focuses on specific acupoints, with the most effective option being the combination of the Front Mu and Lower-he(sea) points. These findings provide novel insights for the clinical management of FGIDs.