SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Efficacy of acupuncture versus sham acupuncture on generalized anxiety disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the specific efficacy of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), beyond nonspecific or placebo effects. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EMBASE from inception to October 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture in adults diagnosed with GAD were included. Primary outcome was the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), with secondary outcomes including Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), cortisol (CORT), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Data were pooled using random- or fixed-effects models based on heterogeneity ( Results: Fourteen RCTs involving 968 participants were included. Acupuncture demonstrated significant reductions in HAMA [MD = -2.71, 95% CI (-4.17, -1.25), Conclusion: Acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture in alleviating anxiety symptoms and improving sleep and mood in patients with GAD, though effect sizes are modest and evidence certainty varies. These findings support acupuncture as a potential non-pharmacological option for GAD, yet further high-quality trials are needed to standardize protocols and clarify mechanisms.
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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.