• Yuxi Qin, Dan Luo, Heng Qiu, Jingyu Zhang, Huang Yong, and Shuguang Yu.
• Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China.
• Postgrad Med J. 2024 Sep 22; 100 (1188): 709720709-720.

BackgroundDe Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder predominantly affecting the radial aspect of the wrist. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the efficacy of acupuncture in treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt). Although there is evidence suggesting that acupuncture can alleviate symptoms of DQt-characterized by pain, swelling, and functional impairment-higher-level evidence is still required to further substantiate its efficacy and safety. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the efficacy of acupuncture in treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt).MethodsBy systematically searching databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EMbase, PEDro, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chongqing VIP China Science, Technology Journal Database (VIP), we retrieved randomized controlled trial (RCT) literature on acupuncture for DQt, with the search period extending to November 1, 2023. After extracting and assessing data from the included literature, we performed Meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4.1 software.ResultsThe results encompassed 14 RCT papers, involving 851 patients. The Meta-analysis findings indicated that, when compared to topical analgesics, acupuncture demonstrated a significant increase in treatment effectiveness (RR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.39, P = 0.0002) and a notable reduction in VAS pain scores (MD = -1.06; 95% CI = -1.51, -0.61, P < 0.00001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in conney wrist joint scores. Furthermore, acupuncture was found to reduce VAS pain scores compared to the waiting list group. In comparison to corticosteroid injections (CSI), acupuncture did not show statistical significance in VAS, effectiveness rate, and conney wrist scores.ConclusionAcupuncture exhibited a promising trend in alleviating pain associated with DQt and enhancing treatment effectiveness. Nonetheless, due to limitations in the quantity and quality of the included studies, these findings warrant further validation through additional research.© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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