| | Study | Study location | Sample size (male/female) | Mean age (SD) | Interventions group | Control group | Treatment period | Outcomes |
| | Guo et al. (2007) [23] | Jiangsu, China | T: 14/19
C: 12/20 | T: 36.01 + 6.74
C: 35.12 + 7.30 | Moxibustion | Drug (fluoxetine) | T: once a day for 30 days, 30 min
C: once a day for 30 days | CE | | Chen et al. (2011) [24] | Guangdong, China | T: 16/14
C: 17/13 | T: 35.12 ± 4.17
C: 35.91 ± 3.25 | Moxibustion | Drug (vitamin C + vitamin E + trivitamins B tablets) | T: once a day for 28 days, 10–20 min
C: three times a day for 28 days | CE | | Lan (2011) [25] | Guizhou, China | T: 16/14
C: 15/15 | T: 30.70 + 8.801
C: 30.80 + 11.370 | Moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a day, ten days per period, one days’ break between two periods, two periods in total, 20 min
C: once a day, ten days per period, one days’ break between two periods, two periods in total, 20 min | CE, FAI, AEs | | Zou (2011) [26] | Jiangxi, China | T: 15/15
C: 13/15 | T: 34.67 ± 3.24
C: 35.72 ± 3.76 | Moxibustion | Drug (fluoxetine) | T: once a day, eight days per period, three days’ break between two periods, three periods in total, 15 min
C: once a day for 30 days | CE | | Wang et al. (2013) [27] | Anhui, China | T: 12/28
C: 13/27 | T: 39 ± 6
C: 38 ± 8 | Thunder-fire moxibustion | Drug (fluoxetine) | T: once a day, ten days per period, two days’ break between two periods, two periods in total
C: once a day for 20 days | CE, AEs | | Xiao et al. (2014) [28] | Guizhou, China | T: 20/21
C: 19/20 | T: 40.2 ± 8.2
C: 40.6 ± 8.5 | Moxibustion | Drug (vitamin B1 + vitamin B6 + oryzanol + paroxetine) | T: once a day, ten days per period, three days’ break between two periods, three periods in total, 15 min
C: NR | CE, FS-14, AEs | | Zhao (2014) [29] | Heilongjiang, China | T: 10/20
C: 9/21 | T: 40.80 ± 6.599
C: 41.07 ± 5.783 | Ginger-partitioned moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a day, five times per week for 4 weeks, 50 min
C: once a day, five times per week for 4 weeks, 30 min | CE, FS-14 | | Zheng et al. (2014) [30] | Guangdong, China | T: 23/20
C: 21/22 | T: 43.5 ± 13.2
C: 42.6 ± 12.9 | Moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a day, seven days per period, three days’ break between two periods, three periods in total
C: once a day, seven days per period, three days’ break between two periods, three periods in total, 30 min | CE, AEs | | Shi (2015) [31] | Guangdong, China | T: 8/22
C: 9/20 | T: 39.00 ± 12.54
C: 41.62 ± 11.70 | Fu-Yang moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: twice a week for six weeks
C: once a day, three times per week for six weeks | CE, FS-14, AEs | | Tian et al. (2015) [32] | Gansu, China | T: 24/12
C: 16/20 | T: 42 ± 9
C: 42 ± 10 | Gaohuang (BL43) moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a day, ten days per period, two days’ break between two periods, three periods in total
C: once a day, ten days per period, two days’ break between two periods, three periods in total, 30 min | CE, FAI, AEs | | Hou et al. (2017) [33] | Shandong, China | T: 16/12
C: 14/12 | T: 43.07 ± 9.31
C: 45.62 ± 9.92 | Governor moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: twice a month for 3 months, 6 hours
C: once a day, four times per week for 3 months, 30 min | CE, FS-14, AEs | | Sai (2018) [34] | Shandong, China | T: 17/15
C: 13/17 | T: 38.97 ± 6.98
C: 37.73 ± 6.26 | Viscera moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a week for 8 weeks, 2 hours
C: once a day, three times per week for 8 weeks, 30 min | CE | | Luo et al. (2019) [35] | Guangdong, China | T: 16/14
C: 15/15 | T: 43 ± 4
C: 42 ± 3 | Fu-Yang moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once every two days for 60 days
C: once every two days for 60 days, 30 min | CE, FS-14, AEs | | Xu et al. (2019) [36] | Henan, China | T: 29/18
C: 27/20 | T: 41.5 ± 5.3
C: 42.5 ± 3.6 | Governor moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: twice a month for 3 months, 6 hours
C: once a day, four times per week for 3 months, 30 min | CE, FS-14 | | Wang et al. (2020) [37] | Hunan, China | T: 13/27
C: 15/25 | T: 43.00 ± 1.03
C: 43.00 ± 1.17 | Panlong moxibustion | Acupuncture | T: once a week for 3 weeks, 2 hours
C: once a day, five times per week for 3 weeks, 30 min | CE, FS-14, FAI |
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