Table II.
Details of acupuncture treatment characteristics of the randomized controlled trials included in the present meta-analysis.
| First author (year) | Acupoints | Treatment frequency | Therapeutic course | Duration of acupuncture (min) | Insertion depth | Needle type | De-qi | (Refs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepp (1998) | Periocular acupoints: GB 1, BL 2, EX-HN2; other acupoints: ST 5, LI 4, SI 3, LI 3, KI 6, TE 5 | Intervention: 1 time per week; Control: NA | Intervention: 10 weeks Control: NA | 30 | NA | NA | NA | (33) |
| Wang (2005) | Acupuncture 1: Heat ablaze and yin injury: LI 11, LI 4, SP 6, KI 3, ST 2, LI 20; Phlegm and blood | Intervention 1: Once in 2 days, 10 times/course, 10 days' rest after; | Intervention 1: 3 courses; Intervention 2: a course | 20-25 | NA | NA | NA | (34) |
| stasis: ST 2, SP 10, SP 9, ST 36, SP 6, ST 40; Acupuncture 2: BL 2, TE 23, GB 14, ST 1 | Intervention 2: Once in 2 days, 10 times/course, 10 days rest after a; course Control: 5 times a day | 3 courses; Control: 30 days | ||||||
| Tseng (2006) | Periocular acupoints: EX-HN5, TE 23, GB 14, ST 2; other acupoints: SP 6 | Intervention 1: Twice a week, 2-3 days apart; Intervention 2: Twice a week, 2-3 days apart; Control: NA | Intervention 1: 8 weeks; Intervention 2: 8 weeks; Control: NA | 20 | NA | Points on the face: No. 36 one-inch needles, the lower extremities: No. 32 two-inch needles | De-qi | (35) |
| Shi (2012) | Periocular acupoints: ST 1, BL 1, EX-HN 5, TE 23; other acupoints: GV 20, LI 4, ST 36 | Intervention: 3 times per week; Control: 3-4 times a day | Intervention: 3 weeks; Control: 3 weeks | 25 | NA | 40x0.25 mm disposable acupuncture needles | NA | (36) |
| Kim (2012) | Periocular acupoints: ST 1, BL 2, TE 23, GB 14, Ex 1, GV 23; other acupoints: GB 20, LI 4, LI 11 | Intervention: 3 times per week; Control: Use as required (at least once per day) | Intervention: 4 weeks; Control: 4 weeks | 20 | The acupuncture points at the face and head: 0.6 to 3 cm, and 3 to 4.5 cm for points of hand (LI 4) and arm (LI 11). | 0.20x30 mm disposable acupuncture needles | De-qi | (37) |
| Liao (2013) | Periocular acupoints: BL 1, ST 1, TE 23 penetrating EX-HN4; other acupoints: KI 3, LR 3, SP 6, ST 36 | Intervention: 1 time a day; Control: 4 times a day | Intervention: 14 days; Control: 14 days | 30 | NA | NA | NA | (38) |
| Nan (2014) | Eye acupuncture (liver area, gallbladder area, kidney area, spleen stomach area, upper jiao area) | Intervention: 1 time a day; Control: 5 times a day | Intervention: 20 days; Control: 20 days | 15-20 | Liver area and gallbladder area: 0.5 cun | 0.18x13 mm disposable acupuncture needles | NA | (39) |
| Zeng (2014) | Periocular acupoints: GB 1, BL 1, LI 20, BL 2, ST 2, EX-HN5; other acupoints: SP 6, SP 10, ST 36, KI 3 | Intervention: Acupuncture 1 time a day, Tears Naturale II 3 times a day, Refresh plus 1 time a day; Control: Tears Naturale II 3 times a day, Refresh Plus 1 time a day | Intervention: 10 days; Control: 10 days | NA | BL 1: 0.5 cun, GB 1: 0.7 cun | NA | De-qi | (40) |
| Shang (2015) | Periocular acupoints: phenomaxillary ganglia, BL 1, EX-HN5, ST 2 | Intervention: acupuncture 1 time per week; Control: AT 1 time a day | Intervention: 24 weeks; Control: 15 days | NA | Phenomaxillary ganglia: 55 mm | Phenomaxillary ganglia: 0.35x60 mm needles | De-qi | (41) |
| Xiang (2016) | Periocular acupoints: phenomaxillary ganglia, BL 2, Shangjingming (Extra), TE 23, ST 2 | Intervention: First week: Continuous acupuncture 5 times, and the rest 2 weeks: 3 times a week (1 time every other day); Control: AT 4 times a day | Intervention: 3 weeks; Control: 3 weeks | 30 | Phenomaxillary ganglia: 50 mm | Phenomaxillary ganglia: 0.25x60 mm, periocular acupoints: 0.25x25 mm | De-qi | (42) |
| Liu (2017) | Periocular acupoints: BL 1, BL 2, TE 23, EX-HN5, ST 2, ST 1; other acupoints: LI 4, GB 20, GV 20 | Intervention: Acupuncture three times a week, AT: NA; Control: NA | Intervention: 8 weeks; Control: 8 weeks | 30 | NA | NA | NA | (43) |
| Huang (2013) | Periocular acupoints: EX-HN5, ST 1, BL 1, BL 2, Ex-HN7; the acupoints: LU 7, GB 37, KI 3, LR 3; Ex-HN5 and ST 1 were connected to EA apparatus | Intervention: 1 time a day; Control: 4 times a day | Intervention: 30 times; Control: 30 times | 30 | NA | 40 mm disposable acupuncture needles | De-qi | (44) |
Total sample size (number in intervention group/number in control group); NA, not available/not specified; AT, artificial tears; EA, electroacupuncture.