Research Article

Analysis of the Most-Cited Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis in Acupuncture Research

Table 1

The 100 most-cited acupuncture research works.

RankingArticleDiseaseCitation

1Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2012; 172(19):1444–1453.Chronic pain577
2Vickers A, Goyal N, Harland R, Rees R. Do certain countries produce only positive results? A systematic review of controlled trials. Control Clin Trials. 1998; 19(2):159–166.Controlled trials425
3Ezzo J, Berman B, Hadhazy VA, Jadad AR, Lao L, Singh BB. Is acupuncture effective for the treatment of chronic pain? A systematic review. Pain. 2000; 86(3):217–225.Chronic pain293
4Huang W, Pach D, Napadow V, et al. Characterizing acupuncture stimuli using brain imaging with FMRI--a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. PLoS One. 2012; 7(4):e32960.Brain imaging with fMRI272
5Manheimer E, White A, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E. Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain [published correction appears in Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jun 7; 142(11):950–1]. Ann Intern Med. 2005; 142(8):651–663.Low back pain261
6Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Deyo RA, Shekelle PG. A review of the evidence for the effectiveness, safety, and cost of acupuncture, massage therapy, and spinal manipulation for back pain. Ann Intern Med. 2003; 138(11):898–906.Back pain252
7Furlan AD, van Tulder MW, Cherkin DC, et al. Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005; (1):CD001351. Published 2005 Jan 25.Low back pain246
8Cummings TM, White AR. Needling therapies in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001; 82(7):986–992.Myofascial trigger point pain238
9Hróbjartsson A, Gøtzsche PC. Is the placebo powerless? Update of a systematic review with 52 new randomized trials comparing placebo with no treatment. J Intern Med. 2004; 256(2):91–100.Randomized trials237
10Green S, Buchbinder R, Hetrick S. Acupuncture for shoulder pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005; (2):CD005319. Published 2005 Apr 18.Shoulder pain230
11Chen W, Yang GY, Liu B, Manheimer E, Liu JP. Manual acupuncture for treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials [published correction appears in PLoS One. 2014; 9(3):e91110]. PLoS One. 2013; 8(9):e73764. Published 2013 Sep 12.Diabetic peripheral neuropathy220
12Linde K, Allais G, Brinkhaus B, Manheimer E, Vickers A, White AR. Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009; (1):CD001218. Published 2009 Jan 21.Migraine213
13Furlan AD, van Tulder M, Cherkin D, et al. Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain: an updated systematic review within the framework of the cochrane collaboration. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005; 30(8):944–963.Low back pain206
14Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Ljunggreen AE. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can reduce postoperative analgesic consumption. A meta-analysis with assessment of optimal treatment parameters for postoperative pain. Eur J Pain. 2003; 7(2):181–188.Postoperative pain203
15Vickers AJ. Can acupuncture have specific effects on health? A systematic review of acupuncture antiemesis trials. J R Soc Med. 1996; 89(6):303–311.Antiemesis202
16Bisset L, Paungmali A, Vicenzino B, Beller E. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on physical interventions for lateral epicondylalgia. Br J Sports Med. 2005; 39(7):411–422.Lateral epicondylalgia198
17Madsen MV, Gøtzsche PC, Hróbjartsson A. Acupuncture treatment for pain: systematic review of randomized clinical trials with acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, and no acupuncture groups. BMJ. 2009; 338:a3115. Published 2009 Jan 27.Pain195
18Lee A, Done ML. The use of nonpharmacologic techniques to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 1999; 88(6):1362–1369.Postoperative nausea and vomiting187
19Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, Bogen B, Chow R, Ljunggren AE. Short-term efficacy of physical interventions in osteoarthritic knee pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2007; 8:51. Published 2007 Jun 22.Osteoarthritic knee pain186
20Ezzo J, Hadhazy V, Birch S, et al. Acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee: a systematic review. Arthritis Rheum. 2001; 44(4):819–825.Osteoarthritis of the knee171
21Moffet HH. Sham acupuncture may be as efficacious as true acupuncture: a systematic review of clinical trials. J Altern Complement Med. 2009; 15(3):213–216.Clinical trials168
22Tough EA, White AR, Cummings TM, Richards SH, Campbell JL. Acupuncture and dry needling in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Pain. 2009; 13(1):3–10.Myofascial trigger point pain167
23White A, Foster NE, Cummings M, Barlas P. Acupuncture treatment for chronic knee pain: a systematic review. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007; 46(3):384–390.Chronic knee pain165
24Garcia MK, McQuade J, Haddad R, et al. Systematic review of acupuncture in cancer care: a synthesis of the evidence. J Clin Oncol. 2013; 31(7):952–960.Cancer care163
25Ernst E, White AR. Prospective studies of the safety of acupuncture: a systematic review. Am J Med. 2001; 110(6):481–485.Safety of acupuncture161
26Sun Y, Gan TJ, Dubose JW, Habib AS. Acupuncture and related techniques for postoperative pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Br J Anesth. 2008; 101(2):151–160.Postoperative pain160
27Ernst E. Acupuncture - a critical analysis. J Intern Med. 2006; 259(2):125–137.A critical analysis160
28van Tulder MW, Cherkin DC, Berman B, Lao L, Koes BW. The effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of acute and chronic low back pain. A systematic review within the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1999; 24(11):1113–1123.Acute and chronic low back pain160
29Ernst E, White AR. Acupuncture for back pain: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158(20):2235–2241.Back pain159
30Manheimer E, Cheng K, Linde K, et al. Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010; (1):CD001977. Published 2010 Jan 20.Peripheral joint osteoarthritis151
31Eric M, Klaus L, Lixing L, M BL, M BB. Meta-analysis: acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee. Ann Intern Med. 2007; 146(12).Osteoarthritis of the knee148
32Smith LA, Oldman AD, McQuay HJ, Moore RA. Teasing apart quality and validity in systematic reviews: an example from acupuncture trials in chronic neck and back pain. Pain. 2000; 86(1–2):119–132.Chronic neck and back pain147
33Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. J Pain. 2018; 19(5):455–474.Chronic Pain146
34Furlan AD, Yazdi F, Tsertsvadze A, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and safety of selected complementary and alternative medicine for neck and low-back pain. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012:953139.Neck and low back pain145
35White AR, Ernst E. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for neck pain. Rheumatology (Oxford). 1999; 38(2):143–147.Neck pain144
36Meissner K, Fässler M, Rücker G, et al. Differential effectiveness of placebo treatments: a systematic review of migraine prophylaxis. JAMA Intern Med. 2013; 173(21):1941–1951.Migraine140
37Geeganage C, Beavan J, Ellender S, Bath PM. Interventions for dysphagia and nutritional support in acute and subacute stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; 10:CD000323. Published 2012 Oct 17.Acute and subacute stroke139
38Ahn AC, Colbert AP, Anderson BJ, et al. Electrical properties of acupuncture points and meridians: a systematic review. Bioelectromagnetics. 2008; 29(4):245–256.Acupuncture points and meridians139
39Johnson M, Martinson M. Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pain. 2007; 130(1–2):157–165.Chronic musculoskeletal pain137
40Kietrys DM, Palombaro KM, Azzaretto E, et al. Effectiveness of dry needling for upper-quarter myofascial pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2013; 43(9):620–634.Myofascial Pain136
41Melchart D, Linde K, Fischer P, et al. Acupuncture for recurrent headaches: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials [published correction appears in Cephalalgia 2000 Oct; 20(8):762–3]. Cephalalgia. 1999; 19(9):779–765.Recurrent headaches133
42Khadilkar A, Odebiyi DO, Brosseau L, Wells GA. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus placebo for chronic low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008; 2008(4):CD003008. Published 2008 Oct 8.Chronic low back pain132
43Wu P, Mills E, Moher D, Seely D. Acupuncture in poststroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Stroke. 2010; 41(4):e171-e179.Poststroke rehabilitation129
44Lao L, Hamilton GR, Fu J, Berman BM. Is acupuncture safe? A systematic review of case reports. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003; 9(1):72–83.Safe122
45Lee A, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009; (2):CD003281. Published 2009 Apr 15.Postoperative nausea and vomiting120
46Ernst E, White A. Life-threatening adverse reactions after acupuncture? A systematic review. Pain. 1997; 71(2):123–126.Adverse reactions120
47Dincer F, Linde K. Sham interventions in randomized clinical trials of acupuncture--a review. Complement Ther Med. 2003; 11(4):235–242.Sham interventions117
48Linde K, Niemann K, Schneider A, Meissner K. How large are the nonspecific effects of acupuncture? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Med. 2010; 8:75. Published 2010 Nov 23.The nonspecific effects of acupuncture115
49Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, et al. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008; 336(7643):545–549.Pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation115
50Zhang ZJ, Chen HY, Yip KC, Ng R, Wong VT. The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in depressive disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2010; 124(1–2):9–21.Depressive disorders114
51Prady SL, Richmond SJ, Morton VM, Macpherson H. A systematic evaluation of the impact of STRICTA and CONSORT recommendations on quality of reporting for acupuncture trials. PLoS One. 2008; 3(2):e1577. Published 2008 Feb 13.Acupuncture trials113
52Linde K, Allais G, Brinkhaus B, Manheimer E, Vickers A, White AR. Acupuncture for tension-type headache. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009; (1):CD007587. Published 2009 Jan 21.Tension-type headache110
53Kalichman L, Vulfsons S. Dry needling in the management of musculoskeletal pain. J Am Board Fam Med. 2010; 23(5):640–646.Musculoskeletal pain109
54Smith CA, Hay PP, Macpherson H. Acupuncture for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010; (1):CD004046. Published 2010 Jan 20.Depression106
55Ezzo JM, Richardson MA, Vickers A, et al. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006; (2):CD002285. Published 2006 Apr 19.Nausea or vomiting106
56Trinh KV, Graham N, Gross AR, et al. Acupuncture for neck disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006; (3):CD004870. Published 2006 Jul 19.Neck disorders106
57Patel M, Gutzwiller F, Paccaud F, Marazzi A. A meta-analysis of acupuncture for chronic pain. Int J Epidemiol. 1989; 18(4):900–906.Chronic pain106
58Yuan J, Purepong N, Kerr DP, Park J, Bradbury I, McDonough S. Effectiveness of acupuncture for low back pain: a systematic review. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008; 33(23):E887-E900.Low back pain104
59Jindal V, Ge A, Mansky PJ. Safety and efficacy of acupuncture in children: a review of the evidence. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2008; 30(6):431–442.Children104
60Ernst E, Lee MS, Choi TY. Acupuncture: does it alleviate pain and are there serious risks? A review of reviews. Pain. 2011; 152(4):755–764.Alleviate pain102
61Trinh KV, Phillips SD, Ho E, Damsma K. Acupuncture for the alleviation of lateral epicondyle pain: a systematic review. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2004; 43(9):1085–1090.Lateral epicondyle pain102
62Berman BM, Ezzo J, Hadhazy V, Swyers JP. Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia?. J Fam Pract. 1999; 48(3):213–218.Fibromyalgia100
63Sze FK, Wong E, Or KK, Lau J, Woo J. Does acupuncture improve motor recovery after stroke? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Stroke. 2002; 33(11):2604–2619.Recovery after stroke96
64Linde K, Allais G, Brinkhaus B, et al. Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016; 2016(6):CD001218. Published 2016 Jun 28.Migraine95
65Liu L, Huang QM, Liu QG, et al. Effectiveness of dry needling for myofascial trigger points associated with neck and shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2015; 96(5):944–955.Neck and shoulder pain94
66White A, Cummings M, Barlas P, et al. Defining an adequate dose of acupuncture using a neurophysiological approach--a narrative review of the literature. Acupunct Med. 2008; 26(2):111–120.Neurophysiological93
67Kwon YD, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2006; 45(11):1331–1337.Peripheral joint osteoarthritis93
68Asher GN, Jonas DE, Coeytaux RR, et al. Auriculotherapy for pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Altern Complement Med. 2010; 16(10):1097–1108.Pain90
69Cho SH, Lee JS, Thabane L, Lee J. Acupuncture for obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2009; 33(2):183–196.Obesity89
70Lim B, Manheimer E, Lao L, et al. Acupuncture for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006; (4):CD005111. Published 2006 Oct 18.Irritable bowel syndrome89
71Ernst E, Pittler MH. The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating acute dental pain: a systematic review. Br Dent J. 1998; 184(9):443–447.Acute dental pain88
72Lee A, Chan SK, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point PC6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015; 2015(11):CD003281. Published 2015 Nov 2.Postoperative nausea and vomiting87
73Cao H, Pan X, Li H, Liu J. Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Altern Complement Med. 2009; 15(11):1171–1186.Insomnia86
74Casimiro L, Barnsley L, Brosseau L, et al. Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005; (4):CD003788. Published 2005 Oct 19.Rheumatoid arthritis84
75Park J, Hopwood V, White AR, Ernst E. Effectiveness of acupuncture for stroke: a systematic review. J Neurol. 2001; 248(7):558–563.Stroke84
76Corbett MS, Rice SJ, Madurasinghe V, Slack R, Fayter DA, Harden M, Sutton AJ, Macpherson H, Woolacott NF. Acupuncture and other physical treatments for the relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: network meta-analysis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013 Sep; 21(9):1290–8.Osteoarthritis of the knee82
77Zhang J, Shang H, Gao X, Ernst E. Acupuncture-related adverse events: a systematic review of the Chinese literature. Bull World Health Organ. 2010; 88(12):915–921C.Adverse events81
78Adams D, Cheng F, Jou H, Aung S, Yasui Y, Vohra S. The safety of pediatric acupuncture: a systematic review. Pediatrics. 2011; 128(6):e1575-e1587.Pediatric acupuncture80
79Yamashita H, Tsukayama H, White AR, Tanno Y, Sugishita C, Ernst E. Systematic review of adverse events following acupuncture: the Japanese literature. Complement Ther Med. 2001; 9(2):98–104.Adverse events75
80Lee H, Schmidt K, Ernst E. Acupuncture for the relief of cancer-related pain--a systematic review. Eur J Pain. 2005; 9(4):437–444.Cancer-related pain74
81Brosseau L, Milne S, Robinson V, et al. Efficacy of the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a meta-analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002; 27(6):596–603.Chronic low back pain74
82Linde K, Niemann K, Meissner K. Are sham acupuncture interventions more effective than (other) placebos? A re-analysis of data from the Cochrane review on placebo effects. Forsch Komplementmed. 2010; 17(5):259–264.Placebo effects73
83Dowswell T, Bedwell C, Lavender T, Neilson JP. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009; (2):CD007214. Published 2009 Apr 15.Pain relief in labour73
84Lam M, Galvin R, Curry P. Effectiveness of acupuncture for nonspecific chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013; 38(24):2124–2138.Nonspecific chronic low back pain72
85Dodin S, Blanchet C, Marc I, et al. Acupuncture for menopausal hot flushes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; 2013(7):CD007410. Published 2013 Jul 30.Menopausal hot flushes71
86Yeung WF, Chung KF, Poon MM, et al. Acupressure, reflexology, and auricular acupressure for insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Med. 2012; 13(8):971–984.Insomnia71
87Mayhew E, Ernst E. Acupuncture for fibromyalgia--a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007; 46(5):801–804.Fibromyalgia70
88Manyanga T, Froese M, Zarychanski R, et al. Pain management with acupuncture in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014; 14:312. Published 2014 Aug 23.Osteoarthritis68
89Cheuk DK, Yeung WF, Chung KF, Wong V. Acupuncture for insomnia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; (9):CD005472. Published 2012 Sep 12.Insomnia68
90Hurlow A, Bennett MI, Robb KA, Johnson MI, Simpson KH, Oxberry SG. Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; 2012(3):CD006276. Published 2012 Mar 14.Cancer pain68
91Vas J, Perea-Milla E, Méndez C, et al. Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for chronic uncomplicated neck pain: a randomized controlled study. Pain. 2006; 126(1–3):245–255.Chronic uncomplicated neck pain67
92Streitberger K, Ezzo J, Schneider A. Acupuncture for nausea and vomiting: an update of clinical and experimental studies. Auton Neurosci. 2006; 129(1–2):107–117.Nausea and vomiting67
93Gattie E, Cleland JA, Snodgrass S. The Effectiveness of Trigger Point Dry Needling for Musculoskeletal Conditions by Physical Therapists: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017; 47(3):133–149.Musculoskeletal conditions66
94Li H, He T, Xu Q, et al. Acupuncture and regulation of gastrointestinal function. World J Gastroenterol. 2015; 21(27):8304–8313.Gastrointestinal function66
95Lee JH, Choi TY, Lee MS, Lee H, Shin BC, Lee H. Acupuncture for acute low back pain: a systematic review. Clin J Pain. 2013; 29(2):172–185.Acute low back pain66
96Leo RJ, Ligot JS Jr. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture in the treatment of depression. J Affect Disord. 2007; 97(1–3):13–22.Depression66
97Zhang SH, Liu M, Asplund K, Li L. Acupuncture for acute stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005; (2):CD003317. Published 2005 Apr 18.Acute stroke66
98Wu MS, Chen KH, Chen IF, et al. The Efficacy of Acupuncture in Post-Operative Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2016; 11(3):e0150367. Published 2016 Mar 9.Postoperative pain65
99Zhou J, Peng W, Xu M, Li W, Liu Z. The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for patients with Alzheimer disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015; 94(22):e933.Alzheimer’s disease65
100MacPherson H, Maschino AC, Lewith G, et al. Characteristics of acupuncture treatment associated with outcome: an individual patient meta-analysis of 17,922 patients with chronic pain in randomized controlled trials [published correction appears in PLoS One. 2013; 8(12).Chronic pain65