The Immunomodulatory Effect of Acupoint Application for Childhood Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Characteristics of the included studies.

First author, year	Sample; size	Mean age; (years)	Follow-up; (weeks)	Main outcomes	Experimental group intervention	Control group intervention
Liu 2003 [16]	120	6.5	24	IgE	Acupoint application; (2–4 h/3 sessions/4 weeks)	(1) Usual care; (2) Ketotifen (0.5–1 mg, Bid, 8 weeks)
Liu 2004 [17]	60	8.21 ± 2.58; 8.15 ± 2.74	—	IgE	Acupoint application; (26 h/3 sessions/4 weeks)	Usual care
Lin 2008 [18]	60	5.68 ± 2.34	—	IgA, IgE, IgG, and IgM	Acupoint application; (2–6 h/10 sessions/4 weeks)	Pulmicort (200–400 μg, Qd, 4 weeks) plus ketotifen (0.5–1 mg, Bid, 4 weeks)
Yan 2008 [21]	120	6.75 ± 0.77; 6.76 ± 0.76; 6.72 ± 0.79; 6.78 ± 0.75	—	IgA, IgE, IgG, IL-4, and IFN-γ	Acupoint application; (2–6 h/3 sessions/4 weeks)	(1) Usual care; (2) Pulmicort (200–600 μg, Qd, 12 weeks); (3) Ketotifen (0.5–1 mg, Bid, 12 weeks)
Cai 2008 [22]	120	6.76 ± 2.76; 6.77 ± 2.75; 6.77 ± 2.73	—	IL-4 and IFN-γ	Acupoint application; (24 h/3 sessions/4 weeks)	(1) Usual care; (2) BCG-PNA (1-2 mg/24 sessions, 12 weeks)
Cui 2012 [23]	84	6.22 ± 2.56; 6.72 ± 2.76; 6.33 ± 2.72	—	IgA, IgE, IgG, and IgM	Acupoint application; (4–6 h/3 sessions/4 weeks)	(1) Usual care; (2) Pulmicort (200–600 μg, Qd, 48 weeks)

IgE: immunoglobulin E; IgA: immunoglobulin A; IgG: immunoglobulin G; IgM: immunoglobulin M; IL-4: interleukin-4; IFN-γ: interferon-γ; BCG-PNA: BCG polysaccharide and nucleic acid injection.