Clinical Randomized Controlled Study of Acupuncture Treatment on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Characteristics of the included studies.

Authors, years	Age (C; T)	Gender (M : F)	Sample (C/T)	Intervention (C)	Intervention (T)	Outcome indicators	Acupuncture points	Course of treatment
Wang, 2016 [23]	C (7.8 ± 3.5); T (7.5 ± 4.0)	C (27 : 22); T (28 : 21)	49/49	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture and tuina + music therapy	CARS; ABC	Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Touwei (ST 8), Shangxing (GV 23), Naohu (GV 17), Fengchi (GB 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Laogong (PC 8), Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), and Qihai (CV 6)	Once/day
Wang, 2018 [20]	C (4.24 ± 2.16); T (4.21 ± 2.12)	C (15 : 30); T (16 : 29)	45/45	Rehabilitation training	C + scalp acupuncture	ABC	Shen Ting (GV 24), Sishencong (EX-HN1), and Benshen (GB13)	3 times/week, with a pause of 15 days after 10 times; 30 times in total
Tang and Yuan, 2020 [24]	C (2–9); T (22∼41)	C (17 : 18); T (16 : 19)	35/35	Structured education model training	C + acupuncture	CARS; subitems of ABC	Zhi tri-needles (Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13) 2), temporal tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 2 cuns above the tip of the ear and 1 cun on the left and right sides), Si Shen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19)), foot tri-needles (Zulinqi (GB 41), Neiting (ST 44), Taichong (LR 3)), hand tri-needles (Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5), Hegu (LI 4)), tongue tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 1 cun above the Lianquan (CV 23), and 0.8 cuns on the left and right sides)	Once/day, no less than 3 times a week; 6 consecutive months
Zhang et al., 2019 [21]	C (2–5); T (2–5)	C (25 : 5); T (26 : 4)	30/30	Sensory integration training and exercise intervention	C + scalp acupuncture	CARS; ABC; subitems of ABC	Si Shen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19)), temporal tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 2 cuns above the tip of the ear and 1 cun on the left and right sides), Zhi tri-needles (Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13) 2), foot tri-needles (Zulinqi (GB 41), Neiting (ST 44), Taichong (LR 3)), hand tri-needles (Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5), Hegu (LI 4))	Once/day for 6 consecutive months
Dang et al., 2020 [25]	C (3–6); T (3–6)	C (34 : 9); T (32 : 11)	43/43	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture	ABC; CARS	Baihui (GV 20), Sishen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), temporal tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 2 cuns above the tip of the ear and 1 cun on the left and right sides), brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19)), Zhi tri-needles (Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13) 2), and Dingshen needles (Yingtang (GV 29), Yangbai (GB 14) 2)	Once/day, continuous treatment for 6 days, 1 day off; total treatment for 6 months
Zeng and Ou-yang, 2017 [26]	C (3–7.5); T (3.5–8)	C (19 : 8); T (18 : 9)	27/27	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture	CARS; ABC	Sishencong (EX-HN1), Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13), Yingtang (GV 29), Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19), language area 1, language zone 2, and language zone 3	Three times a week, 1 month is the course of treatment, 4 consecutive courses of treatment
He et al, 2020 [27]	C (4–8); T (3–8)	C (27 : 13); T (25 : 16)	40/41	Rehabilitation training	C + scalp acupuncture	Subitems of ABC	Sishencong (EX-HN1), Benshen (GB 13), Yingtang (GV 29), Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19), language area 1, language zone 2 and language zone 3	3 times a week, 1 month is the course of treatment, 4 consecutive courses of treatment
lv et al., 2018 [28]	C (3–9.4); T (3–10)	C (41 : 8); T (39 : 10)	49/49	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture and tuina	CARS; ABC	Sishencong (EX-HN1), Benshen (GB 13), Shenting (GV 24), Touwei (ST 8), Naohu (GV 17), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), and Laogong (PC 8)	Once/day, 5 days/week, 10 times is the course of treatment; 6 months is the total time of treatment
Zhao et al., 2020 [29]	C (2.5–8); T (2.3–7.8)	C (33 : 17); T (38 : 12)	50/50	Rehabilitation training and special education	C + TCM treatment (including acupuncture)	CRAS; ABC	Baihui (GV 20), Sishen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), Dingshen needles (Yingtang (GV 29), Yangbai (GB 14) 2), Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13), 2/5 under the parietotemporal anterior slash, language Zone 2 and language Zone 3, Naohu (GV 17), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Xuan Zhong (GB 39), and Yongquan (KI 1)	Once/day, 6 days/week; 3 months of treatment in total
Yuan et al., 2013 [30]	C (5 ± 3); T (5 ± 2)	C (22 : 8); T (23 : 7)	30/30	Rehabilitation training	C + scalp acupuncture	CARS	Zhi tri-needles (Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13) 2), Sishen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), and brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19) 2)	Once/day, 6 days of treatment per week, 3 months as a course of treatment; 1 course in total
Liu, 2017 [31]	C (2–8); T (3–7)	C (22 : 8); T (23 : 7)	30/30	Rehabilitation training after acupuncture	Rehabilitation training with acupuncture	CARS	Sishen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), Dingshen needles (Yingtang (GV 29), Yangbai (GB 14) 2), brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19)∗2), foot tri-needles (Zulinqi (GB 41), Neiting (ST 44), Taichong (LR 3)), and hand tri-needles (Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5), Hegu (LI 4))	Once/day, 6 days/week; 3 months of treatment in total
Wong et al., 2010 [17]	C (9.56 ± 4.22); T (9.17 ± 4.12)	C (22 : 3); T (25 : 5)	25/30	Rehabilitation training + sham acupuncture	Rehabilitation training + electroacupuncture	Subitems of ABC; subitems of RDLS WeeFIM;	Sishencong (EX-HN1), Yingtang (GV 29), Shenmen (HT 7), Taichong (LR 3), ear naodian (AT 3), ear shenmen (TF 4), and San yinjiao (SP 6)	30 min for each time, once/day for 4 weeks
Kong et al., 2018 [32]	C (6.8 ± 0.9); T (6.5 ± 0.8)	C (19 : 11); T (17 : 13)	30/30	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture	CARS; ABC	Brain tri-needles (Naohu (GV 17), Naokong (GB 19) 2), Sishen needles (four points located at 1.5 inches on the Baihui (GV 20)), Zhi tri-needles (Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13) 2), temporal tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 2 cuns above the tip of the ear and 1 cun on the left and right sides), hand tri-needles (Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5), Hegu (LI 4)), Shou-Zhi needles (Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Laogong (PC 8)), tongue tri-needles (the three acupuncture points are located 1 cun above the Lianquan (CV 23) and 0.8 cun on the left and right sides), foot tri-needles (Zulinqi (GB 41), Neiting (ST 44), Taichong (LR 3)), Fengchi (GB 20), and Yamen (GV 15)	Once/day, 30 min for each time; 4-month treatment in total
Wong et al., 2014 [18]	C (8.75 ± 4.62); T (10.17 ± 3.93)		9/12	Rehabilitation training	TAC (tongue acupuncture)	Subitems of RDLS, WeeFIM	(TAC #1 run Ze, TAC #2 Guan Zhu) and (TAC #3 Tian men, TAC#4 and TAC #5 Di You’)	5 times a week for 8 weeks
Wong and Sun, 2010 [19]	C (6 ± 5.92); T (6.23 ± 5.67)		25/25	Sham TAC	TAC (tongue acupuncture)	RDLS, FIM	(TAC #1 run Ze, TAC #2 Guan Zhu) and (TAC #3 Tian men, TAC#4 and TAC #5 Di You’)	5 times a week for 8 weeks
Li et al., 2017 [33]		C (30 : 15); T (28 : 17)	45/45	Rehabilitation training	C + acupuncture	ABC	Shuigou (GV26), Fengfu (GV 16), Chengjiang (CV 24), Jiache (ST 6), Shaoshang (LU 11), Daling (PC 7), Yinbai (SP 1), Haiquan (EX-HN11), Laogong (PC 8), Shenmai (BL 62), Shangxing (GV 23), Huiyin (CV 1), and Quchi (LI 11)	3 times a week, with a 20-day interval after 10 times; 30 treatments in total constituted a course of treatment. The patients were treated for 3 courses