Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Electoacupunture Efficacy on Acute Gout

Article information

J Korean Med. 2022;43(2):92-109
Publication date (electronic) : 2022 June 1
doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.22022
1Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University
2Gachon Institute of Korean Medicine
Correspondence to: Ho-Sueb Song, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University,, Seongnam 13120, Korea, Tel:+82-32-770-1342
Received 2022 April 12; Revised 2022 May 23; Accepted 2022 May 25.

Abstract

Objectives

The objective of this study was to appraise the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) for the treatment of acute gout.

Methods

Since no suitable study could be found in the domestic database, we performed a literature search up to the end of December 2020 using four international electronic databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effectiveness of EA in the treatment of acute gout were included. The risk of bias was evaluated from the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Results

Eight appropriate RCTs were included and analyzed. Three evaluation tools were mainly used: Total Effective Rate (TER), Uric acid (UA), and Pain score (VAS). In the case of TER, in all eight cases, electroacupuncture alone and combined treatment showed a statistically significant level of improvement compared to Western medicine treatment. In the case of VAS score, electroacupuncture alone and combined treatment showed a more significant effect than Western medicine treatment. In the case of UA level, electroacupuncture combined treatment showed a more significant effect than western medicine treatment. Although not all three evaluation tools were used in all studies, the majority of studies showed that electroacupuncture was effective for acute gout patients.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that EA treatment may be effective for acute gout. It should be noted, however, that the studies included in this study were geographically biased, small in number, and mostly at high risk of bias. More well-designed studies are needed in the future.

Fig. 1

A flow chart describing the trial selection process.

Fig. 2

Risk of bias summary (A) and graph (B)

A. +: low risk of bias, −: high risk of bias, ?: unclear risk of bias.

Fig. 3

Meta analysis outcome of total efficiency rate between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Fig. 4

Meta analysis outcome of pain score (VAS) between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Fig. 5

Meta analysis outcome of uric acid between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Summary of the Randomized Controlled Trials of Electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment for acute gout

Electroacupuncture Treatment method

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), which is funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: HF20C0179).

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Article information Continued

Fig. 1

A flow chart describing the trial selection process.

Fig. 2

Risk of bias summary (A) and graph (B)

A. +: low risk of bias, −: high risk of bias, ?: unclear risk of bias.

Fig. 3

Meta analysis outcome of total efficiency rate between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Fig. 4

Meta analysis outcome of pain score (VAS) between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Fig. 5

Meta analysis outcome of uric acid between electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment vs. western medicine treatment.

A. Electroacupuncture vs. Western medicine treatment, B. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture vs. Western medicine treatment, C. Electroacupuncture+Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion vs. Western medicine treatment, D. Electroacupuncture+Pharmacopuncture vs. Western medicine treatment.

Table 1

Summary of the Randomized Controlled Trials of Electroacupuncture alone or combined treatment for acute gout

No. Study ID Study design Sample size Gender Age (Mean) Intervention (n) Comparison (n) Duration F/U Outcome measurements Results Adverse events
M F
1 Xie (2007) RCT 60 20 10 40~70 (56±3.2) Electroacupuncture (30) Western medicine treatment (30)
- allopurinol
10d - ① TER
② UA
① 93.3/83.3
② 402.67±46.06/401.80±50.24
nr
18 12 42~69 (57±3.4)

2 Yin (2005) RCT 60 21 9 31~69 (59.7±6.8) Electroacupuncture (30) Western medicine treatment (30) - indomethacin - benzbromarone 6d - ① TER
② UA
① 90.0/86.7
② 310.61±74.20/332.75±58.46
nr
19 11 34~76 (62.5±7.4)

3 Zou (2006) RCT 90 26 4 32~70 Electroacupuncture (60) Western medicine treatment (30)
- indomethacin
- allopurinol
6d - ① TER
② VAS
③ UA
① 86.7/100.0/90.0
② 4.87±1.59/3.29±1.46/6.11±1.37
③ 443.39±47.19/403.22±32.61/395.57±34.84
nr
28 2 31~71
27 3 35~71

4 Jin (2012) RCT 60 27 3 38~60 Electroacupuncture+
Blood-letting puncture(30)
Western medicine treatment (30)
- colchicine
- indomethacin
14d - ① TER
② VAS
① 90.0/83.3
② 3.34±1.20/5.98±1.63,
nr
29 1 40~65

5 Yan (2018) RCT 64 22 10 26~63 (43.22±3.46) Electroacupuncture+
Blood-letting puncture(32)
Western medicine treatment (32)
- colchicine
- indomethacin
14d - ① TER
② UA
③ VAS
① 96.88/81.25
② 379.35±41.31/403.12±38.17
③ 1.13±0.24/3.03±1.21
Intervention(1)
Comparison(12)
24 8 25~63 (40.16±3.22)

6 Zhong (2009) RCT 65 21 13 30~70 (53.2) Electroacupuncture+
Blood-letting puncture(34)
Western medicine
- colchicine (31)
7d - ① TER
② UA
① 91.2/83.9
② 244±40.23/322±61.51
U
19 12 33~65 (55.2)

7 Guo (2017) RCT 109 32 23 32~70 (50.91±5.36) Electroacupuncture+
Blood-letting puncture+Moxibustion (55)
Western medicine treatment (54)
- colchicine
30d - ① TER
② UA
③ VAS
① 96.36/85.19
② 361.22±43.23/393.31±51.01
③ 1.75±1.46/2.88±1.49
Comparison(8)
33 21 33~69 (50.86±5.34)

8 Zou (2007) RCT 60 24 6 32~70 Electroacupuncture+
Pharmacopuncture (30)
Western medicine treatment (30)
- indomethacin
- allopurinol
6d - ① TER
② VAS
③ UA
① 100/93.3
② 3.27±1.48/6.08±1.55
③ 405.56±27.28/440.64±42.68
nr
25 5 31~72

RCT: randomized controlled trial, nr: not reported, d: day, TER: total efficiency rate, UA: uric acid, VAS: visual analogue scale.

Table 2

Electroacupuncture Treatment method

No. Study ID acupuncture points for one treatment. acupuncture point acupuncture depth needle size number of treatments Strength Treatment cycle Another intervention
1 Xie (2007) nr SP6, LR4, SP9, SP10, BL33, BL23 Point Combination
- upper limbs: LI4, TE2, LI2
 lower limbs: ST2, LR3
nr nr 10 Pts 1d 1t, 30min -
2 Yin (2005) 4 ST36, SP3, A-Shi Point 2 35 mm 0.25×40mm 6 Pts 2Hz, 100Hz/ 1d 1t, 30min -
3 Zou (2006) 3 ST36, SP3, A-Shi Point nr 0.25×40mm 6 0.5 mA 10 min & 1 mA 10 min & 2 mA 10min 1d 1t, 30min -
4 Jin (2012) 8 SP6, SP9, GB34, ST40, LR3, SP3, LI11, LI4 nr 0.25×40mm 14 nr 1d 1t, 40min Blood-letting puncture
5 Yan (2018) 7 A-Shi Point nr 0.30×40mm 14 nr Electroacupuncture: 1d 1t, 30min Blood-letting puncture: bid Blood-letting puncture
6 Zhong (2009) 22 SP6, SP9, ST36, LI11, LI4, SP2, SP3, LR2, LR3, KI3, KI6, LR4, BL60, BL62, GB40, EX-LE5, SP10, ST34, TE4, TE5, LI5, GB12 nr 1 ~ 1.5 寸 7 Pts 1d 1t, 30min Blood-letting puncture
7 Guo (2017) 12 SP6, SP9, ST36, EX-LE10, SP4, A-Shi Point, LR3
Point Combination
- Shirezubi(湿热阻痹证): LI11, SP9;
 Yureneiyu(瘀热内郁证): SP10, LI4;
 Tanshizuzh(i(痰湿阻滞证): ST40, SP9;
 Ganshenyinxu(肝肾阴虚证): KI3
nr nr 30 Pts 1d 1t, 30min Blood-letting puncture+ Moxibustion
8 Zou (2007) 3 ST36, SP3, A-Shi Point nr 0.25×40mm 6 2Hz or 100Hz/0.5 mA 10 min & 1 mA 10 min & 2 mA 10min 1d 1t, 30min Pharmacopuncture

nr: not reported, Pts: Patient tolerance standards, d: day, t: time, min: minute, bid: 2 times a day