Page 52 - ATHM26_4

REVIEW ARTICLE

Acupuncture for Patients in Coma after Traumatic

Brain Injury: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Qi Zhang, BSc; Jinxing Liu, BSc; Rui Cao, BSc; Yi Jin, BSc

ABSTRACT
Context • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the control group had received placebo acupuncture, sham
brain that occurs as a result of a direct impact, and affected acupuncture, conventional treatments, or other treatments.
persons are usually in a long-term coma. The evidence of The interventions included traditional acupuncture,
the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture to treat coma electroacupuncture, ear acupuncture, and scalp
is still not convincing. acupuncture.
Objective • The study intended to assess the effectiveness Outcome Measures • The research team measured the
and safety of acupuncture for arousing a patient in a coma Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS), wake-promoting rates, as
following TBI. well as the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS).
Design • Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, and 4 Chinese Results • Of 884 potentially relevant trials, 24 RCTs met
medical databases were searched from their inception to the inclusion criteria. The results of the meta-analysis
March 1, 2018, without language restrictions. The dataset suggested that the acupuncture group’s coma state was
included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that significantly lessened after treatment compared with the
examined acupuncture as a therapy for arousing patients control on GOS (RR, 1.95, 95% CI [1.64 to 2.31], P < .01;
in a coma after TBI. The literature was screened ;the data I² = 0%), wake-promoting rates (RR, 1.48, 95% CI [1.19 to
were extracted ;and the methodological quality of the 1.83], P < .01; I² = 52%), and GCS (MD, 1.78, 95% CI [1.10
included studies was assessed. Meta-analyses were to 2.45], P < .01; I² = 52%) .
performed on the included data. Conclusion • The systematic review and meta-analysis
Setting • This study was conducted at Tianjin University has suggested that acupuncture can be an effective
of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Tianjin City, China). treatment for patients unconscious following TBI.
Participants • Participants in the selected RCTs were However, the evidence was too weak for medical
people of any age and either gender who were in a coma practitioners to routinely recommend acupuncture for
caused by TBI. clinical treatment; further large, rigorously designed
Interventions • The intervention group in the selected studies are needed. (Altern Ther Health Med. 2020;26(4):50-
RCTs had received acupuncture for TBI, either as a sole 57).
therapy or combined with other treatments, and the

Qi Zhang, BSc, is a graduate student, Graduate College,
Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in Corresponding author: Yi Jin, BSc
Tianjin City, China. Jinxing Liu, BSc, is a doctor in the E-mail address: jinyi6196@163.com
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and
Traumatology, Meishan City Hospital of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, in Meishan City, Sichuan Province,
China. Rui Cao, BSc, is a graduate student, Graduate INTRODUCTION
College, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious cause of death
Medicine, in Tianjin City, China. Yi Jin, BSc, is the director and disability and affects almost 1.7 million victims in the
of nursing, Department of Nursing, Tianjin Huanhu United States, almost 50 000 of whom die. In TBI, mechanical
1
Hospital, in Tianjin City, China. forces to the head or a penetrating head injury cause abrupt
2
head motion that generally leads to axonal injury, contusion,

50 ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, JUL/AUG 2020 VOL. 26 NO. 4 Zhang—Acupuncture for Patients in Coma After TBI