Objective

2

To clarify the key outcomes of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Methods

2

The clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for ulcerative colitis treated with acupuncture and moxibustion were searched from CNKI

Wanfang

VIP

SinoMed

PubMed

EMbase

Cochrane Library

and Web of Science

from the inception of each database to March 20th

2023. The basic information of literature

intervention measures and outcome indexes were collected. The selection of primary and secondary outcomes

the use frequency of each index and the combination of them in utility were analyzed; and index domains of acupuncture and moxibustion for ulcerative colitis were summarized.

Results

2

A total of 215 RCTs were included and 54 outcomes were involved

classified into 6 categories

i.e. TCM syndromes

symptoms/physical signs

physical and chemical tests

quality of life

long-term prognosis and safety events. The top 3 outcomes with high use frequency were clinical effect evaluation

adverse reactions of acupuncture and moxibustion and the score of main symptoms. Only 3 articles clearly reported the primary outcome and the secondary ones

180 articles used two types of outcomes simultaneously

3 articles clearly described the time points of the observation indexes

and 126 articles determined the sources of the evaluation criteria of therapeutic effect

with 57 criteria involved.

Conclusion

2

At present

the outcomes have not been standardized in RCTs of acupuncture and moxibustion for ulcerative colitis. It needs to clarify the primary one and the secondary ones. The criteria have not been unified for the evaluation of therapeutic effects and there is less consideration on the quality of life in patients

the follow-up visit and safety events. The attention should be paid to develop the outcome set

in which

the endoscopic score is taken as the objective

and the improvements in the symptoms/physical signs and the biochemical examination as the supplementary.