Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40896345›Full record

ReviewIntegrative medicine research2025

Exploring the potential transdiagnostic treatment effects of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture on insomnia disorder comorbid with chronic pain: A scoping review.

Yan Ling Kwok, Ran Wang, Hiu To Tang, Siyu Chen, Albert Yeung, Zhaoxiang Bian, Danny J Yu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Integrative medicine research, 2025. 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.

Yan Ling KwokVincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ran WangSleep Research Clinic and Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Hiu To TangVincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Siyu ChenVincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Albert YeungDepression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Zhaoxiang BianVincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Danny J YuVincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Over 20 % of adults with insomnia disorder also experience chronic pain, termed insomnia disorder comorbid with chronic pain (ICCP), increasing risks for physical and mental diseases. Current treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia show inconsistent pain relief, and non-opioid analgesics may exacerbate insomnia, underscoring the need for alternative approaches. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and acupuncture, guided by traditional Chinese medicine, may offer transdiagnostic benefits for ICCP, but a comprehensive review is lacking. This scoping review evaluates their therapeutic effects and mechanisms for ICCP. Methods: PubMed, Wanfang, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar were searched up to December 31, 2024, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults (≥18 years) with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition-defined insomnia and the International Association for the Study of Pain-defined chronic pain, treated with CHM or acupuncture. Effect sizes (modified Cohen's d) assessed efficacy of interventions, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool evaluated the risk of bias. Results: Six RCTs (487 participants) were included. CHM (modified Guipi decoction) showed medium to large effects for insomnia ( Conclusion: CHM and acupuncture show promise for ICCP management, but high risk of bias warrants cautious interpretation and further high-quality RCTs.

Indexed as

AcupunctureChinese herbal medicineChronic painInsomnia disorderTransdiagnostic effect

Identifiers

PMID40896345
PMCPMC12395379

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.