Evidence mapPaperPMID 39627136Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

Electroacupuncture for abdominal obesity: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Qiuling Lu, Mindong Xu, Lida Zhang, Li Gao, Wei Mao, Wei Han, Nenggui Xu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Qiuling LuGuangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-7108-8021
Mindong XuAffiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Lida ZhangAffiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Li GaoAffiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Wei MaoAffiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Wei Han *Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China 13956060099@139.com ngxu8018@gzucm.edu.cn.
Nenggui Xu *Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China 13956060099@139.com ngxu8018@gzucm.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe prevalence of obesity is rising, significantly impacting health and quality of life. Effective treatment is crucial, particularly for abdominal obesity (AO). Electroacupuncture (EA), which combines acupuncture and moxibustion with electric current, shows promise but lacks reliable clinical evidence for its efficacy and safety. Therefore, a meta-analysis is essential to assess the clinical effectiveness of EA in treating AO. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search of PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Allied and Alternative Medicine (AMED) databases will be conducted from database inception to 1 June 2024 to identify randomised controlled trials investigating the effectiveness and safety of EA in treating AO. Two authors will independently carry out data extraction and evaluate the risk of bias. RevMan software (V.5.4) will be used for data analysis, and publication bias will be assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test. The quality of evidence will be evaluated according to Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, and trial sequence analysis will be used to calculate the final total sample size required for the meta-analysis. The primary outcome will be the measurement of waist circumference. Secondary outcomes will include the quality of life, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, body fat percentage, visceral fat thickness and serum markers such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The data will be pooled and analysed, with subgroup analyses conducted if needed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review and meta-analysis does not require ethical approval because the data for this review will be extracted from already published journal articles. The protocol for this review has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). This review and its findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at scientific conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024562984.

Indexed as

ElectroacupunctureObesity, AbdominalHumansMeta-Analysis as TopicQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicResearch DesignSystematic Reviews as TopicWaist CircumferenceAcupunctureMeta-AnalysisObesitySystematic Review

Identifiers

PMID39627136
PMCPMC11624729

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.