Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25165482›Full record

ReviewEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2014

Efficacy of auricular therapy for pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chao Hsing Yeh, Yi Chien Chiang, Samuel L Hoffman, Zhan Liang, Mary Lou Klem, Wilson W S Tam, Lung-Chang Chien, Lorna Kwai-Ping Suen

3 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 47 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
25.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03391986 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2017, after this paper: background citation

Auricular Acupuncture as Adjunct for Pain Management During First Trimester Uterine Aspiration.

TypeinterventionalSponsorColumbia UniversityRan2017 to 2018Enrolled153ConditionsPain Acute, AcupunctureArmsSEIRIN® Pyonex™ Acupuncture Needles, 12 mm Plasters
NCT04208659 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

Self-Administration of Auricular Acupuncture Pilot Project

TypeinterventionalSponsorChillicothe VA Medical CenterRan2020 to 2021Enrolled12ConditionsChronic Pain Syndrome, Pain, Fibromyalgia, Low Back PainArmsSelf-administration of auricular acupuncture without prosthesis, Self-administration of auricular acupuncture with prosthesis
NCT04920097 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Auricular Point Acupressure to Manage Chemotherapy Induced Neuropathy

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Texas Health Science Center, HoustonRan2021 to 2026Enrolled238ConditionsChemotherapy-induced NeuropathyArmsIn-person training for seed placement and APA, Virtual training for seed placement and APA, Usual Care, Post-training zoom session for seed placement and APA coaching
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 125 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Efficacy of auriculotherapy in reducing pain: a comprehensive literature review.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026
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  20. Perioperative Acupuncture: A Novel and Necessary Addition to ERAS Pathways for Total Joint Arthroplasty.HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.

Chao Hsing YehSchool of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, 3500 Victoria Street, 440 Victoria Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Yi Chien ChiangDepartment of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No. 261,Wen-hwa 1st Road, Kwei-shan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Samuel L HoffmanSchool of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, 3500 Victoria Street, 440 Victoria Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Zhan LiangSchool of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, 3500 Victoria Street, 440 Victoria Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Mary Lou KlemFalk Library, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Wilson W S TamThe Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese Hong Kong University, Hong Kong.
Lung-Chang ChienDivision of Biostatistics, University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus, Research to Advance Community Health Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Regional Campus, 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1050 Room 505, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Lorna Kwai-Ping SuenSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
University of Pittsburgh · USChang Gung University of Science and Technology · TWHong Kong Polytechnic University · HKThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · USUniversity of Hong Kong · HK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of auricular therapy by including a sham therapy control group. Methods. Relevant, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were identified by searching medical related databases from, depending on journal, 1900 (at the earliest) to 1994 (at the latest) through May 2013. The outcome measure was a pain intensity score. Results. Twenty-two RCTs were identified and 13 RCTs were included for meta-analysis. In these studies, auricular therapy provided significant pain relief when compared to a sham or control group. The overall standardized mean differences (SMD) was 1.59 (95% CI [-2.36, -0.82]) (13 trials, total subject numbers = 806), indicating that, on average, the mean decrease in pain score for auricular therapy group was 1.59 standard deviations greater than the mean decrease for the sham control. In terms of the efficacy of the different treatment methods, auricular acupressure boasts the largest strength of evidence for pain relief, followed by auricular acupuncture. Electroacupuncture stimulation did not show significant evidence for efficacy, which may be due to the small sample size (i.e., only 19 subjects were included). Conclusion. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to determine the efficacy of auricular therapy for pain.

Identifiers

PMID25165482
PMCPMC4140110
OpenAlexW2038129972

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.