Table 3.
Details of Characteristics of Acupuncture.
| Acupuncture features | ||||||||
| Study ID | Acupuncture rationale | Acupoint selection principle | Acupuncture points used | Number of needles | Needle stimulation | Number of sessions | Frequency of acupuncture treatment | Concurrent treatment |
| Climacteric Symptoms (8) | ||||||||
| Nedstrand (2006) Sweden (21) | n.r. | Fixed acupoints | BL23, BL32 | 4 | Manual stimulation+EA | 14 | Twice a week for the first 2 w + once a week for remaining 10 w | n.r. |
| Deng (2007) US (22) | derived from previous reports & standard acupuncture textbooks | Semi-fixed acupoints according to symptoms | GV14, GB20, BL13, PC7, HT6, KI7, ST36, SP6 Ear AT (Shenmen, Sympathetic) | 19 | Manual stimulation | 8 | Twice a week, 4w | SERMs, GnRH or AI |
| Walker (2010) US (23) | n.r. | Fixed acupoints | KI3, BL23, SP6, GB20, GV14, GV20, ST36, LR3, HT7, PC7, CV6, LU9 | 12 | Manual stimulation | 16 | Twice a week for the first 4 w + once a week for remaining 8 w | hormone therapy with Tamoxifen or Arimidex |
| Frisk (2012) Sweden (24) | Based on earlier studies | Fixed acupoints | BL15, BL23, BL32, GV20, HT7, PC6, LR3, SP6, SP9 | 12 | Manual stimulation+EA | 14 | Twice a week for the first 2 w + once a w for remaining 10 w | n.r. |
| Liljegren (2012) Sweden (25) | According to previous reports and from expert opinion, as found in standard acupuncture textbooks | Fixed acupoints | LI4, HT6, LR3, ST36, SP6, KI7 | 8 | Manual stimulation | 10 | Twice a week, 5 w | Tamoxifen |
| Bao (2014) US (26) | Based on our clinical experience suggesting that AIMSS resulted from Qi deficiency | Fixed acupoints | CV4, CV6, CV12, LI4, MH6, GB34, ST36, KI3, BL65 | 15 | Manual stimulation | 8 | Once a week, 8w | AI therapy |
| Hervik (2009) (27) & Hervik (2014) Norway (28) | n.r. | Fixed acupoints | LI3, GB20, LU7, KI3, SP6, CV4, PC7, LI8 | 8 | Manual stimulation | 15 | Twice a week for the first 5 w + once a week for remaining 5 w | AI therapy (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) |
| Lesi (2016) Italy (29) | According to Maciocia's recommendations | Semi-fixed acupoints according to pattern identification | SP6, LI11, CV4 + additional points according to TCM syndrome | ≥3 | Manual stimulation | 10 | Once a week, 10w | Cisplatin + chemotherapy |
| PAIN (4) | ||||||||
| Crew (2010) US (30) | based on a standard TCM point prescription to treat musculoskeletal pain | Semi-fixed acupoints according to pain location (max.3 points) | full body + auricular acupuncture + 3 most painful areas | ≥3 | Manual stimulation | 12 | Twice a week, 6w | tgAI (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) |
| Bao (2013) US (31) | Based on our clinical experience suggesting that AIMSS resulted from Qi deficiency. | Fixed acupoints | CV4, CV6, CV12, LI4, MH6, GB34, ST36, KI3, BL65 | 15 | Manual stimulation | 8 | Once a week, 8w | tgAI |
| Oh (2013) Australia (32) | derived from standard acupuncture textbooks | Fixed acupoints | Day1: LI4, Li11, GB34, ST40, LR3, GV20, EX-HN1, EX-UE9 Day2: GB21, TE5, ST36, SP6, LR3, GV20, EX-HN1, EX-UE9 | 12 | Manual stimulation + EA | 12 | Twice a week, 6w | tgAI |
| Giron (2016) Brazil (33) | in accordance with the recommendations of Standards for Reporting of Controlled Trials in Acupuncture (RCTA) | Fixed acupoints | CV3, SP9, ST36, KI7, LR3, GB21, LI15, HT14, LU5, LI4, ST38, BL60 | 12 | Manual stimulation | 10 | Once a week, 10w | Adjuvant or neo-adjuvant Paclitaxel |
| Treatment Induced Nausea & Vomiting (2) | ||||||||
| Beith (2012) Australia (34) | n.r. | Fixed acupoints | PC6 (left), LI4 (right), ST36 (both) | 3 | Manual stimulation | 4 | 2 hr prior to chemo; on day 1 & 2 of the first two cycles | AC or FEC; Antiemetics |
| He (2017) China (35) | Based on the expert opinion Prof. Wang from Capital Medical University Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine | Fixed acupoints | CV12, LR13, CV6, ST25, PC6, ST36 | 6 | Manual stimulation | 4 | Every other day, 8d | ODT |
| Lymphedema (2) | ||||||||
| Zhan (2017) China (36) | Based on the theory of meridians | Fixed acupoints | CV12, CV10, CV6, CV4, ST24, ST26 | 6 | Manual stimulation | 28 | Once a day, 28d | n.r. |
| Bao (2018) US (37) | based on previous pilot study | Fixed acupoints | CV12, CV3, TE14, LI15, LU5, LI4, ST36, SP6 | 8 | Manual stimulation | 12 | Twice a week, 6w | Common standard dose chemotherapy regimens |
| Miscellaneous Symptoms (3) | ||||||||
| Greenlee (2016) US (38) | Developed based on a standard TCM protocol for qi and xue deficiency and stagnation and informal practitioner query. | Semi-fixed acupoints according to pain location | GB34, ST36, LI4, LI10, LU3, LU5, GV14 | 4–8 | Manual stimulation + EA | 12 | Once a week, 12w | Hormonal treatment |
| Tong (2018) China (39) | n.r. | Semi-fixed acupoints according to symptoms | GV20, EX-HN1, GV24, ST36, KI13, KI14, GB39 | 3-10 | Manual stimulation | 40 | Once a day for 5 days, 2 days of rest/w, 4w/cycle, 3d rest between cycle, 2 cycles | Chemotherapy |
| Zhang (2018) China (40) | n.r. | Fixed acupoints | RN4, RN6, RN10, RN12, ST24, ST25, SP15 | 8 | Manual stimulation | 9 | 30 min/ session, twice a day, 3 d | Granisetron hydrochloride |