Acupuncture for patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: A scoping review

Objective: To summarize the current available evidence and to outline recommendations for the future research of acupuncture for patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Design: Seven electronic databases were searched: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database, Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE. All studies on acupuncture for patients after PCI were included. The search period was from the database establishment to June 13th, 2024. Setting: Using full-text and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) searches, two personnel independently screened and checked articles strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and they reached an agreement through discussion on articles with different opinions. Interventions: Post-PCI acupuncture. Main outcome measures: Creating descriptive charts to visually express the research features. Results: 38 eligible studies were included. Their main topic was the use of acupuncture in patients after PCI. The primary focus of these studies was the application of acupuncture in patients post-PCI. The majority of the included articles originated from China, with the majority published in the year 2023. The types of studies encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (25, 65.8 %), protocols (6, 15.8 %), review articles (6, 15.8 %), and case report (1, 2.6 %). The acupuncture methods utilized varied, with filiform needle therapy being the most common (14, 36.8 %), followed by auricular plaster therapy (7, 18.4 %), thumbtack needle therapy (7, 18.4 %), and eye acupuncture (1, 2.6 %). The acupoints most frequently used were Shenmen (TF4) in the auricular region and Neiguan (PC6). The needle retention time was predominantly 30 min, as reported in nine studies involving filiform needles. In the control groups of the included studies, secondary prevention measures were most commonly employed, appearing in thirteen studies. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was the most frequently measured outcome, featured in nine studies. Psychological issues were identified as the most prevalent condition following PCI, mentioned in seventeen studies. Conclusion: The main focus of this scoping review was on psychological issues, cardiovascular problems, and exercise capacity or quality of life of patients after PCI. The majority of research has concentrated on psychological and cardiovascular issues. However, the outcomes related to varieties of acupuncture therapy methods, acupoints selection, retention time, treatment frequency, and other aspects of acupuncture practice were interconnected and complex within the clinical application of acupuncture. These interconnected elements collectively impacted the treatment of acupuncture in the post-PCI context, making it challenging to reach definitive conclusions. The heterogeneity in acupuncture practices highlighted the need for future research. It is recommended that future studies employ more rigorous designs, standardized methodologies, larger sample sizes, and higher quality to enhance our understanding of acupuncture's role in post-PCI care. This is particularly important for elucidating its potential in addressing psychological and cardiovascular problems, which are critical areas of concern for patients post-PCI.