The effects of acupuncture versus sham/placebo acupuncture for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Zhang J, He Y, Huang X, Liu Y, Yu H · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · 2020 November 1

DOI 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101253

Objective

We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and sham/placebo acupuncture.

Conclusions

Based on the outcomes included in this study, the efficacy of acupuncture was superior to that of placebo acupuncture in treating insomnia. Types of acupuncture therapy and placebo may underestimate the efficacy of acupuncture in different ways.

Critical Appraisal

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Insights

Acupuncture was superior to sham/placebo acupuncture in treating insomnia.

A total of 15 studies involving 1108 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that acupuncture therapy was superior to sham/placebo acupuncture in terms of improving Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI), total sleep time (TST), sleep-onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency (SE), even during the follow-up period, acupuncture therapy was superior to sham/placebo acupuncture on PSQI. Based on the outcomes included in this study, the efficacy of acupuncture was superior to that of placebo acupuncture in treating insomnia. Types of acupuncture therapy and placebo may underestimate the efficacy of acupuncture in different ways.