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. 2009 Nov;15(11):1171–1186. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0041

Table 4.

Effect Estimates of Acupuncture Treatment in 46 Included Trials

Study Comparisons Effect estimate (95% CI) p value
Acupuncture/auricular/acupressure/TEAS versus no treatment
1 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >3 hours
 Tang W 200733 Auricular therapy plus Tuina and acupressure versus no treatment RR 1.81 (1.19, 2.77) 0.006
2 Quality scores of sleeping evaluated by patients
 Zhu Z 200446 Electroacupuncture versus no treatment MD −2.16 (−2.80, −1.52) <0.0001
3 Total scores of PSQI
 Chen M 19997 Acupressure versus conversation −6.32 (−7.47, −5.17)  
 Tsay 200335 Acupressure versus usual care −3.78 (−5.98, −1.58)  
 Tsay 200436 Acupressure versus usual care −1.20 (−3.91, 1.51)  
 Tsay 200436 Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation versus usual care −1.45 (−4.06, 1.16)  
Meta-analysis   MD −3.28 (−6.10, −0.46) 0.02
Real acupuncture/acupressure versus sham acupuncture/acupressure
1 Total scores of PSQI
 Chen M 19997 Real acupressure versus sham acupressure −4.25 (−5.49, −3.01)  
 Tsay 200335 Real acupressure versus sham acupressure −1.35 (−3.49, 0.79)  
Meta-analysis   MD −2.94 (−5.77, −0.11) 0.04
2 Total sleeping duration (hours)
 Kim 200419 Real acupuncture versus sham acupuncture MD 74.00 (15.61, 132.39) 0.01
3 Quality of sleeping (scores)
 Kim 200419 Real acupuncture versus sham acupuncture MD 34.00 (19.30, 48.70) <0.0001
Acupuncture/auricular/acupressure versus Western medicine
1 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >3 hours
 Ding D 200811 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 1.01 (0.73, 1.42)  
 Huang X 2000 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 1.50 (1.03, 2.18)  
 Kang F 200518 Body acupuncture plus auricular therapy versus diazepam and oryzanol 3.91 (1.89, 8.08)  
 Kou J 2003 Body acupuncture versus stilnox 1.80 (1.23, 2.62)  
 Liu J 200625 Body plus auricular acupuncture versus diazepam or estazolam 2.25 (1.31, 3.88)  
 Liu Z 200726 Scalp acupuncture versus clonazepam 0.97 (0.68, 1.39)  
 Luo W 2006 Body acupuncture versus trazodone 1.55 (1.02, 2.37)  
 Wang M 200337 Body acupuncture versus diazepam 1.64 (1.26, 2.15)  
 Wang Y 200440 Scalp with electrical stimulation plus body acupuncture and auricular therapy versus diazepam and clonzapine 2.03 (1.16, 3.54)  
 Zhang X 200544 Body acupuncture versus estazolam plus oryzanol 1.20 (0.94, 1.54)  
Meta-analysis   RR 1.53 (1.24, 1.88) <0.0001
2 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >2 hours
 Liu Q 200024 Body plus auricular acupuncture versus estazolam 0.78 (0.46, 1.31)  
 Qiu R 199932 Acupressure plus herbal medicine versus estazolam plus herbal medicine 0.79 (0.50, 1.26)  
 Zou Y 200847 Electroacupuncture versus alprazolam 1.25 (1.08, 1.44)  
Meta-analysis   RR 0.95 (0.61, 1.50) 0.84
3 No. patients with total sleeping time >4 hours
 Ding W 200612 Body acupuncture versus diazepam 1.58 (1.18, 2.12)  
 Pan Q 200531 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 1.48 (1.17, 1.89)  
Meta-analysis   RR 1.53 (1.27, 1.84) <0.00001
4 Total scores of PSQI
 Huang X 2000 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 1.50 (1.03, 2.18)  
 Kou J 2003 Body acupuncture versus stilnox 1.80 (1.23, 2.62)  
 Li T 200722 Body plus auricular acupuncture versus diazepam or estazolam −2.66 (−4.91, −0.41)  
 Liu J 200625 Body plus auricular acupuncture versus diazepam or estazolam 2.25 (1.31, 3.88)  
 Liu Z 200726 Scalp acupuncture versus clonazepam 0.97 (0.68, 1.39)  
 Luo W 2006 Body acupuncture versus trazodone 1.55 (1.02, 2.37)  
 Wang Y 200440 Scalp with electrical stimulation plus body acupuncture and auricular therapy versus diazepam and clonzapine −5.48 (−8.16, −2.80)  
Meta-analysis   MD −2.83 (−4.47, −1.19) 0.0007
5 Scores of sleep time evaluated by patients
 Huang L 200716 Rolling acupuncture versus clonazepam −0.15 (−0.42, 0.12)  
 Xuan Y 200741 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 0.32 (−0.24, 0.88)  
Meta-analysis   MD −0.06 (−0.30, 0.18) 0.63
6 No. patients with sleep rates >65%
 Chen F 20079 Electroacupuncture versus diazepam plus oryzanol and VitB1 1.36 (1.04, 1.79)  
 Fan D 200614 Body acupuncture versus diazepam plus oryzanol 1.28 (0.91, 1.80)  
 Li X 200721 Body plus auricular acupuncture versus diazepam or estazolam 1.33 (0.99, 1.78)  
 Wang Q 200338 Electroacupuncture plus acupoint injection versus diazepam plus oryzanol and VitB1 1.46 (1.10, 1.93)  
 Zhang Q 2006 Body acupuncture versus estazolam 0.79 (0.45, 1.41)  
Meta-analysis   RR 1.28 (1.11, 1.48) 0.001
7 Total scores of SDS
 Hong Y 200515 Electroacupuncture versus trazodone −0.06 (−5.91, 5.79)  
 Luo W 2006 Body acupuncture versus trazodone −0.02 (−0.34, 0.30)  
Meta-analysis   MD −0.02 (−0.34, 0.30) 0.9
8 Total scores of SQ
 Hong Y 200515 Electroacupuncture versus trazodone MD −19.01 (−21.65, −16.37) <0.00001
9 Total scores of ASR
 Hong Y 200515 Electroacupuncture versus trazodone −4.00 (−5.19, −2.81)  
 Luo W 2006 Body acupuncture versus trazodone −2.16 (−3.58, −0.74)  
Meta-analysis   MD −3.12 (−4.92, −1.32) 0.0007
10 Total scores of LSEQ
 Wang X 200839 Abdominal acupuncture plus placebo pill versus estazolam plus sham acupuncture MD −18.78 (−29.81, −7.76) <0.01
11 Total scores of SRSS
 Zhang H 200343 Body acupuncture versus clonazepam MD −3.00 (−4.41, −1.59) <0.0001
12 Total scores of HAMA
 Ma ZX 200630 Electroacupuncture versus clonazepam MD −1.55 (−4.25, 1.15) 0.26
Acupuncture/auricular plus Chinese medicine versus Chinese medicine
1 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >3 hours
 Lv Y 200728 Electroacupuncture plus auricular acupuncture and Suanzaoren decoction versus Suanzaoren decoction RR 1.30 (0.93, 1.82) 0.13
2 No. patients with total sleeping time >4 hours
 Tian H 200634 Body acupuncture plus herbal medicine versus herbal medicine RR 1.71 (1.26, 2.32) 0.0005
3 Total sleeping duration (hour)
 Lv Y 200728 Electroacupuncture plus auricular therapy and Suanzaoren decoction versus Suanzaoren decoction MD 1.25 (1.13, 1.37) <0.00001
4 No. patients with sleep rates >60%
 Du M 200713 Body acupuncture plus herbal medicine versus herbal medicine 1.41 (0.87, 2.30)  
 Lu W 199827 Body acupuncture plus Qiyeanshen tablet versus Qiyeanshen tablet 2.07 (1.06, 4.03)  
Meta-analysis   RR 1.67 (1.12, 2.50) 0.01
Acupuncture/auricular plus Western medicine versus Western medicine
1 Total sleeping duration (hour)
 Chen X 20038 Body plus auricular acupuncture and estazolam versus estazolam 1.01 (0.31, 1.71)  
 Li Q 200520 Electroacupuncture plus Prozac versus Prozac 1.18 (0.40, 1.96)  
Meta-analysis   MD 1.09 (0.56, 1.61) <0.0001
2 Total scores of PSQI
 Luo L 2005 Rolling acupuncture plus clonazepam versus clonazepam −1.00 (−4.00, 2.00)  
 Ye T 200842 Abdominal acupuncture plus estazolam versus estazolam −2.08 (−3.77, −0.39)  
 Zhong Z 200845 Body acupuncture and massage of sole plus alprazolam versus alprazolam −2.10 (−3.03, −1.17)  
Meta-analysis   −2.02 (−2.81, −1.24) <0.00001
3 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >3 hours
 Chen X 20038 Body plus auricular acupuncture and estazolam versus estazolam 1.01 (0.31, 1.71)  
 Li Q 200520 Electroacupuncture plus Prozac versus Prozac 1.28 (0.82, 2.00)  
 Luo L 2005 Rolling acupuncture plus clonazepam versus clonazepam 1.18 (0.40, 1.96)  
 Ma X 200629 Body acupuncture plus alprazolam and antipsychotic drug versus alprazolam plus antipsychotic drug 1.73 (1.18, 2.55)  
Meta-analysis   RR 1.33 (1.03, 1.71) 0.03
4 No. patients with total sleeping time increased >2 hours
 Liu Y 200123 Body acupuncture plus Ciwujia injection versus Ciwujia injection RR 1.48 (1.06, 2.07) 0.02
5 No. patients with sleep rates >55%
 Jian J 200517 Body acupuncture plus Ciwujia injection versus Ciwujia injection RR 2.00 (1.47, 2.73) <0.0001
6 No. patients with sleep rates increased >10%
Cui R 200110 Body acupuncture plus estazolam versus estazolam RR 1.79 (1.33, 2.39) 0.0001

TEAS, transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation; CI, confidence interval; PSQI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; MD, mean difference; RR, relative risk; SDS, Self-rating Depression Scale; SQ, sleep quality; ARS, Asberg Rating Scale; LSEQ, Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire; SRSS, Self-Rating Sleep Scale; HAMA, Hamilton Anxiety Scale.