SynthesisFrontiers in medicine2026
Efficacy evaluation of acupuncture combined with manipulation for lateral epicondylitis: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with manipulation for relieving pain and improving function in patients with lateral epicondylitis (LE). Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients with LE were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases from inception to January 1, 2026. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software. The main outcomes included clinical effectiveness, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Mayo elbow function score, and pain-free grip strength (PFG). Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with manipulation significantly improved clinical effectiveness (OR = 4.47, 95% CI: 2.8 to 7.14, Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that acupuncture combined with manipulation may improve clinical effectiveness, elbow function, and pain-free grip strength in patients with lateral epicondylitis. However, the certainty of evidence is low due to high risk of bias and heterogeneity in the included studies. High-quality RCTs are needed to confirm these findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42024572260.
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