Traditional Chinese manual acupuncture for management of obesity: A systematic review

Table 1 Characteristics of participants and interventions in the included studies

	Ref.	Setting	Randomised sample size		Intervention		Outcome measure	Adverse events
			T (n, age)	C (n, age)	T	C
Acu vs sham acu	Güçe et al[17]	Clinic, outpatients	20, NS M/F: 0/20	20, NS M/F: 0/20	Acupoints: Hegu (LI4), Shenmen (HT7), Zusanli (ST36), Neiting (ST44), Sanyinjiao (SP6) Insertion depth: 5-10 mm; Duration: 5 wk; Sessions: 10; Frequency: 2/wk; Retention time: 20 min; Follow-up: NS	Sham acu: Same procedures as T group	BW BMI Blood test	NS
Acu vs no treatment	Luo et al[18]	NS	T1: 20, 21-48 yr; M/F: 8/12 T2: 20, 21-48 yr; M/F: 10/10	20, 21-48 yr M/F: 6/14	T1: Electro acu; T2: Manual acu Acupoints (2 groups used alternatively): (1) Liangqiu (ST34), Xuehai (SP10), Zhigou (TE6), Waiguan (TE5), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Zusanli (ST36), Fujue (SP14), Daimai (GB26), Tianshu (ST25), Wailing (ST26), Guanyuan (CV4), Taixi (KI3), Shangjuxu (ST37) (2) Gongsun (SP4), Neiting (ST44), Fenglong (ST40), Neiguan (PC6), Yinlingquan (SP9), Zusanli (ST36), Shuifen (CV9), Zhongwan (CV12), Daju (ST27), Shuidao (ST28), Guanyuan (CV4), Taichong (LR3), Quchi (LI11), Xiajuxu (ST39) Insertion depth: 10-35 mm; Duration: 65 d Sessions: 27; Frequency: once every other day; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	No treatment	ER BMI WHR Blood test	NS
	Wang et al[22]	NS	18, 20-55 yr M/F: NS	18, 20-55 yr M/F: NS	Acupoints: (1) Stomach heat: 10 abdominal points + Quchi (LI11), Neiting (ST44), Shangjuxu (ST37), Pishu (BL20), Xuehai (SP10), Fenglong (ST40) (2) Qi deficiency: 10 abdominal points + Shangjuxu (ST37), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yinlingquan (SP9), Pishu (BL20), Xinshu (BL15), Taixi (KI3), Guanyuan (CV4) Insertion depth: NS; Duration: 30 d; Sessions: 30; Frequency: 1/d; Retention time: 50 min; Follow-up: NS	No treatment	BW BMI F% Electrogastrography	NS
	Xu et al[23]	Hospital, outpatients	T1: 15, 29-63 yr; M/F: 0/15 T2: 15, 29-63 yr; M/F: 0/15	15, 29-63 yr M/F: 0/15	T1 and T2 on same acupoints: Zhongwan (CV12), Shuifen (CV9), Qihaishu (BL24), Guanyuanshu (BL26), Shuidao (ST28), Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6) Insertion depth: 1.5 inch; Duration: 40 d; Sessions: 20; Frequency: once every other day Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	No treatment	BMI Faecal microbial flora	NS
Acu vs diet	Fan et al[16]	Hospital, outpatients	50, NS M/F: 11/39	50, NS M/F: 10/40	Primary acupoints: Xuehai (SP10), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), Hegu (LI4) Insertion depth: NS; Duration: 50 d; Sessions: 30; Frequency: 1/d for the first 10 sessions; then once every other day for the last 20 sessions; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	Dietary therapy for 50 d	ER Blood test	NS
	Shen et al[19]	NS	30, 18-52 yr; M/F: 1/29	30, 18-52 yr; M/F: 1/29	Acupoints: Huatuojiaji T3 to L5 Insertion depth: 1-1.5 cun; Duration: 30 d; Sessions: 30; Frequency: 1/d; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	Dietary therapy for 30 d	ER	NS
Acu + diet vs sham acu + same diet	Tong et al[21]	Hospital, outpatients	76, 18-60 yr M/F: 18/58	42, 18-60 yr M/F: 12/30	Manual acu + dietary therapy Acupoints: Zhongwan (CV12), Zhongji (CV3), Daheng (SP12), Xiawan (CV10), Shimen (CV5), Tianshu (ST25), Liangqiu (ST34), Zusanli (ST36), Yinlingquan (SP9) Insertion depth: subject to De Qi; Duration: 5 wk; Sessions: 12; Frequency: once every other day; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	Sham acu + same dietary therapy	BMI Adipose layer score	NS
Acu + diet vs Same diet	Tao[20]	NS, outpatients	20, 20-27 yr M/F: NS	20, 20-27 yr M/F: NS	Manual acu + dietary therapy Acupoints: Zhongwan (CV12), Qihai (CV6), Tianshu (ST25), Zhigou (TE6), Fenglong (ST40), Liangqiu (ST34), Yinlingquan (SP9), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Neiting (ST44) Insertion depth: NS; Duration: 37 d; Sessions: 20; Frequency: 1/d; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: NS	Dietary therapy: same as T group	BW BMI Blood test	NS
Acu + diet/ exercise vs WM + same diet/exercise	Dong[15]	Hospital, outpatients	30, 18-65 yr M/F: NS	30, 18-65 yr M/F: NS	Manual acu + dietary therapy and exercise Acupoints: Xuehai (SP10), Pishu (BL20), Weishu (BL21), Zhongwan (CV12), Guanmen (ST22) Insertion depth: NS; Duration: 40 d; Sessions: 40; Frequency: 1/d; Retention time: 30 min; Follow-up: 3 mo	WM + same dietary therapy and exercise WM: Sibutramine hydrochloride 10 mg/d for 40 d	ER BW F%	T: 16.67% C: 42.86%; dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, headache, insomnia, palpitation, poor appetite

Acu: Acupuncture; BMI: Body mass index; BW: Body weight; C: Control group; ER: Effectiveness rate; F: Female; F%: Body fat composition; M: Male; NS: Not stated; T: Treatment group; WHR: Waist-hip circumference ratio; WM: Western medicine.