Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for immunologic function after surgery in patients with gastrointestinal tumor: a meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

There is no consensus on whether transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation can be used to improve the immune function of postoperative patients with gastrointestinal tumors. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on postoperative immune function of patients with gastrointestinal tumor and provide evidence-based basis for clinical evaluation. The method used in this study is to systematically searched English databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), Excerpta Medica Database (EMbase), Web of Science and Chinese databases including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP database and China Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed). Relevant registration platform named Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) was also searched. Manual search and document tracking are also performed. The aforementioned databases were retrieved for transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for immunologic function after surgery in patients with gastrointestinal tumor randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to 1 November 2022. Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan5.4.1 software, and the evidence quality was evaluated using Cochrane risk bias evaluation form. In this study, a total of 18 trials with 1618 participants were analyzed. Only two studies were shown to be low risk. The results showed that there were significant differences in cellular immune and inflammatory factors and receptors, such as CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, NK, IL-6, TNF-α, sIL-2 R, IL-2 and CRP, had significant effects (P < 0.05) after TEAS intervention on gastrointestinal tumor; however, CD8+ (P = 0.07) and IL-10 (P = 0.26) did not. Judging from the current evidence, TEAS was found to improve the immune function of patients with gastrointestinal tumors after surgery and reduce the level of inflammatory response, worthy of clinical promotion and use.

KEYWORDS:

• Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
• gastrointestinal tumor
• postoperative
• immunologic function
• meta-analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Author contributions

Qiuyue Li designed and registered the project. Qiuyue Li, Linjia Wang and Yuhan Wang screened the literature. We also extracted the relevant data and evaluated the quality of RCTs. Qiuyue Li conducted the statistical analysis of the data. Qiuyue Li drafted the manuscript. Ling Zhao supervised the implementation of the entire study and provided guidance. All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Data sharing statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.

Data sharing agreement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program (No. 2020YFS0304; No. 2021ZYD0103).

Notes on contributors

Qiuyue Li

Qiuyue Li is a graduate student in School of Acupuncture and moxibustion, Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine, and her current research interest is the specificity of meridian acupoints.

Linjia Wang

Linjia Wang obtained a master’s degree from the School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine, and is currently studying for a doctoral degree. The research direction is also meridian-acupoint specificity.

Yuhan Wang

Yuhan Wang is currently studying for a master’s degree in acupuncture and massage at Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine. He is good at combining theory with practice to solve problems in clinical practice.

Ling Zhao

Zhao ling is a researcher, doctoral supervisor, postdoctoral cooperative supervisor of Chengdu university of traditional Chinese medicine, and was selected as the leading scientific and technological innovation talent of the national “ten thousand people plan”, the leading young and middle-aged scientific and technological innovation talent of the Ministry of science and technology, the expert enjoying the special subsidy from the government of the state Council, the winner of the “excellent youth fund” of the national natural science foundation of China, the chief expert of the key research and development plan of the national Ministry of science and technology, and the academic and technological leader of Sichuan.