Background
Methods
Search strategies
Inclusion criteria
Study selection
Types of studies and subjects
Language
Types of interventions
Acupuncture
Acupressure
Moxibustion
Types of control interventions
Types of outcome measures
Adverse outcomes
Data extraction
Quality assessment
Reporting of interventions in controlled trials of acupuncture
Bias risk assessment
Statistical analysis
Results
Study selection
Description of included studies
1st author, year | Design, number of arms | Population (n), gestational age | Outcomes | Participants (n), intervention | dose, frequency, treatment duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Country | Treatment group | Placebo control group | ||||
Acupressure finger | ||||||
Dundee 1988 Ireland [36] | qRCT, 3 | 350, 6–14 w | NVP | 119, PC6 | 112, sham, dummy point near right elbow | 5 min every 4 h, 4 days |
119, control: no treatment | ||||||
Belluomini 1994 California, US [37] | RCT, 2 | 60, ≤ 12 w | NVP | 30, PC6 | 30, sham, placebo point | 10 min, 4×/d, for 7 days |
Shin 2007 South Korea [2] | qRCT, 3 | 66, 5–30 w | HG | 23, PC6 + IV fluid therapy | 21, sham control, a bony part around the radial pulse + IV fluid therapy | 10 min, 3×/d before meal from day 2 - day of discharge (mean 5–7 days) |
22, control, only conventional IV fluid therapy | ||||||
Rad 2012 Iran [22] | RCT, 2 | 80, first trimester | NVP | 40, pressure thumb of researcher on the two symmetrical KID21 points + Vit B 6 40 mg | 40, pressure thumb of researcher on a false point + Vit B 6 40 mg | 20 min/d for 4 days + Vit B 6 40 mg |
Jiang 2012 China [3] | RCT, 2 | 130, 5–10, 7 w | HG | 65, PC6 + IV fluid therapy + ear acupressure stomach, spleen, duodenum, liver, shen men, heart | 65, IV fluid therapy | 10 min, 3×/d before meal of nausea for 7 days |
Control: 3–7 days | ||||||
Acupressure band | ||||||
O’Brien 1996 Canada [9] | RCT, 3 | 161, 4.6–23.6 w | NVP | 54, PC6 | 53, sham: acupressure band inappropriately placed 54, control: no treatment | Band applied for 5 days, removed morning of day 6 |
Norheim 2001a Norway [38] | RCT, 2 | 97, 8–12 w | NVP | 48, PC6 | 49, placebo, wristband with felt patch, no button PC6 | 24 h/d, 4 day run-in, 4 day intervention, 4 day follow-up, 12d |
Steele 2001 Michigan, US [39] | qRCT, 2 | 110, ≤ 13 w | NVP | 68, PC6 | 42, placebo, PC6 without acupressure buttons | Continuously on both wrists for 4 days, remove only when bathing |
Werntoft 2001 Sweden [5] | RCT, 3 | 60, mean 10 w | NVP | 20, PC6 | 20, sham: button on upper side of wrist | On for 24 h, only not when showering, for 14 days |
20, control: no treatment | ||||||
Heazell 2006 Australia [27] | RCT, 2 | 80, 5–14 w | HG | 40, PC6 | 40, sham: a site on the dorsal aspect of the forearm | 8 h a day, from 9 AM to 5 PM, length of inpatient stay (mean 3.4) |
Jamigorn 2007 Thailand [40] | RCT, 2 | 66, 6–12 w | NVP | 33, PC6 + placebo tablets | 33, sham: wristband on dummy-point + 50 mg tablets of Vit B6 | Bands: continuously for 5 days |
Tablets: every 12 h for 5 days | ||||||
Can Gurkan 2008 Turkey [20] | QRCT, 3 | 75, 5–20 w | NVP | 26, PC6 | 24, sham: upper side wrist | Daytime, taken off at night; no bands day 1–3, bands on day 4–6, no bands day 7–9, for 9 days |
25, control: no treatment | ||||||
Saberi 2013 Iran [6] | RCT, 3 | 143, ≤ 16 w | NVP | 48, PC6 | 50, ginger caps | Nothing on day 1–3, treatment on day 4–7 |
45, control: no treatment | PC6: continuously bilateral | |||||
Ginger caps: 3×/day | ||||||
Acupuncture | ||||||
Knight 2001 UK [35] | RCT, 2 | 55, 6–10 w | NVP | 28, needling PC6, St 36, Ren 12, SP4, St 44 | 27, cocktail sticks on bony regions near acupoint | Needles left during 15 min, 2× in first week, then 1×/ week for 2 weeks |
Smith 2002 Australia [10] | RCT, 4 | 593, ≤ 14 w | NVP | 148, maximum 6 various points based on TCM diagnosis | 148, PC6 | Needles left during 20 min, 2× in first week, then weekly, for 4 weeks. |
148, sham: close to acupoints | ||||||
149, control: no treatment | ||||||
Neri 2005 Italy [8] | RCT, 2 | 81, ≤ 12 w | HG | 43, needling PC6, CV12, ST 36, + acupressure PC6 | 38, metoclopramide infusion + Vit B12 complex(30 mg/day) | Acupuncture: 20 min, 2×/ week + acupressure for 6–8 h/day, for 2 weeks. |
Metoclopramide: infusion 2×/week + vit. B12, for 2 weeks. | ||||||
Zhang 2005 China [26] | RCT, 3 | 150, 6–12 w | HG | 50, needling + moxibustion CV12, PC6, ST36, SP9 | 50, Chinese drug group: | Acup: 10–15 min, 2×/d, for 7 days |
Suye Huanglian decoction | Chinese drug: 2×/d, 7d | |||||
50, Western medicine: IV fluid therapy + phenobarbital | Western drug: daily, 7d | |||||
Liu 2007 China [29] | RCT, 2 | 94, early pregnancy | HG | 47, needling: scalp, stomach area, CV12, PC6, ST36 + IV fluid therapy | 47, control: IV fluid therapy | 1×/d for 10 days |
Wang 2008 China [34] | RCT, 2 | 95, early pregnancy | HG | 53, CV17, CV12, SP6, PC6, ST36 | 42, control: IV fluid therapy | Acupuncture: 30 min, 1×/d, 6d |
Control: 1×/d, 6d | ||||||
Mao 2009 China [33] | RCT, 3 | 90, 6–12 w | HG | 30, IV fluid therapy + needling BL11, ST37, PC6, SP4, CV12, ST36 | 30, Western medicine: IV fluid therapy + luminal 30 mg | Each group IV fluid therapy Acup: 25 min, 2×/d for 7 days |
30, Chinese drug group: IV fluid therapy + Chinese herbal decoction | Western medicine: 3×/d for 7 days | |||||
Chinese drug group: 3×/d for 7 days | ||||||
Liu 2011 China [41] | RCT, 2 | 60, early pregnancy | HG | 30, needling CV12, PC6, ST36 | 30, moxibustion ST36, CV12, PC6, SP4 | 15–20 min, 1×/d for 10 days |
Ma 2013 China [30] | RCT, 2 | 60, early pregnancy | HG | 30, CV12, BL21 + IV fluid therapy | 30, IV fluid therapy | Acupuncture: 20 min, 1×/d for 5 days |
IV fluid therapy: 1×/d, for 5 days | ||||||
Auricular acupressure | ||||||
Ou 2001 China [42] | RCT, 3 | 90, early pregnancy | NVP | Group 1: 30, ear acupressure: diaphragm (bilateral), shen men, kidney + Chinese herbal medicine | 30, group 2: ear acupressure: diaphragm (bilateral), shen men, kidney | Group 1: acupressure: 10 min, 3×/d + herbs 3×/d, for 7 days |
30, group 3: Chinese herbal medicine | Group 2: acupressure: 10 min, 3×/d, for 7 days | |||||
Group 3: herbs: 3×/d for 7 days | ||||||
Puangsricharern 2008 Thailand [7] | RCT, 2 | 91, ≤ 14 w | NVP | 45, magnet pellets, placed at both auricles | 46, no treatment, 6d | 30 s, 4×/day before meals and at bedtime, day 3-day 6 |
Li 2010 China [31] | RCT, 3 | 141, 5–30 w | HG | 47, ear acupoints: stomach, spleen, duodenum, liver, shen men, heart,+ needling CV 12, PC6, ST36 | 47, PC6 acupressure | Ear acupressure: 3×/d before meals or in case of nausea |
47, IV fluid therapy | Acupuncture: 30 min, 1×/d for 10 days | |||||
PC6 acupressure: 10 min, 3×/d before meals or nausea, for 10 days | ||||||
Liu 2012 China [32] | RCT, 2 | 54, mean 8 w | HG | 27, pylorus, stomach, spleen, esophagus, duodenum, liver, heart, subcortex, shen men, jiao gan. | 27, fasting for 2–3 d, rest, | Bilateral, 2 min, 15 min before meal, 3×/d for 7 days |
IV fluid therapy | ||||||
Moxa | ||||||
Fan 1995 China [11] | RCT, 2 | 302, >2 m | NVP | 151, moxa SP6, CV4 ST36, Li3 | 151, chinese herbal decoction | 5–10 min, 1×/d for 7 days |
Herbs:1×/d for 7 days | ||||||
Xu 2009 China [12] | RCT, 2 | 51, early pregnancy | HG | 26, IV fluid therapy + moxa ST36, CV12, PC6, SP4 | 25, IV fluid therapy | Moxa: 15–20 min, 1–2×/d |
IV fluid 1×/d, for 10 days | ||||||
Lu 2012 China [13] | RCT, 2 | 64, 38–80 d | HG | 32, IV fluid therapy + citicoline 500 mg + moxa ST36, CV12, PC6 | 32, IV fluid therapy + citicoline 500 mg | IV fluid: 1×/d |
Moxa: 20 min, 2×/d for 5 days |
Standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA) in the included studies
1st author, year | Acupuncture rationale | Details of needling or acupressure | Treat-ment regimen | Other components of treatment | Practitioner background | Control or comparator interventions | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. of needle insertions | Points used | Depth of insertion | Responses sought | Needle stimulation | Needle/pressure retention time | Needle or wristband type | Other interventions administered to the acupuncture group | Setting and context | |||||
Acupressure finger | |||||||||||||
Dundee 1988 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NA | R | NA | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Belluomini 1994 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NA | R | NA | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Shin2007 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NA | R | NA | R | R | R | NR | R |
Rad 2012 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | R | NA | R | NA | R | R | R | R | R |
Jiang 2012 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | R | NA | R | NA | R | R | R | NR | R |
Acupressure band | |||||||||||||
O’Brien 1996 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Norheim 2001 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Steele 2001 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Werntoft 2001 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Heazell 2006 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Jamigorn 2007 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Can Gurkan 2008 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Saberi 2013 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NA | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Acupuncture | |||||||||||||
Knight 2001 | TCM | R | Ra | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Smith 2002 | TCM | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Neri 2005 | TCM | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Zhang 2005 | TCM | R | R | NR | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Liu 2007 | TCM | R | R | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | R | R | R | NR | R |
Wang 2008 | TCM | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Mao 2009 | TCM | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Liu 2011 | TCM | R | R | NR | R | NR | R | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Ma 2013 | TCM | R | R | R | NR | NR | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Auricular acupressure | |||||||||||||
Ou 2001 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NR | NR | NA | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Puangsricharern 2008 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | NR | NR | R | R | R | R | NR | NR | R |
Li 2010 | TCM | R | R | NR | NR | NR | R | R | R | R | R | NR | R |
Liu 2012 | TCM | NA | Ra | NA | R | NA | R | R | R | R | NR | NR | R |
Moxa | |||||||||||||
Fan 1995 | TCM | NA | R | NA | R | NR | R | NR | R | NR | NR | NR | R |
Xu 2009 | TCM | NA | R | NA | R | NR | R | NR | R | R | R | NR | R |
Lu 2012 | TCM | NA | R | NA | NR | NR | R | NR | R | R | R | NR | R |
Bias risk assessment in the included studies
1st author (Year) | Random sequence generation | Allocation concealment | Blinding of participants and personnel | Blinding of outcome assessment | Incomplete outcome data | Selective outcome reporting | Other sources of bias |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acupressure finger | |||||||
Dundee 1988 | High | Unclear | High | Low | High | Low | Unclear |
Belluomini 1994 | Low | Unclear | Low | Low | High | High | Low |
Shin2007 | Low | Unclear | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Rad 2012 | Unclear | Unclear | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Low |
Jiang 2012 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Unclear | unclear |
Acupressure band | |||||||
O’Brien 1996 | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Low |
Norheim 2001 | Low | Unclear | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Low |
Steele 2001 | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Low |
Werntoft 2001 | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Low | Unclear |
Heazell 2006 | Unclear | Unclear | Low | Low | Low | Low | Unclear |
Jamigorn 2007 | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Unclear |
Can Gurkan 2008 | Unclear | Unclear | Low | Low | Low | Unclear | Low |
Saberi 2013 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Acupuncture | |||||||
Knight 2001 | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Smith 2002 | Low | Low | Low | Low | High | Unclear | Unclear |
Neri 2005 | Low | Unclear | High | Unclear | Low | Unclear | Unclear |
Zhang 2005 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Liu 2007 | High | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Unclear |
Wang 2008 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Unclear |
Mao 2009 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Liu 2011 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | High | Unclear |
Ma 2013 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Unclear | Low | High | Unclear |
Auricular acupressure | |||||||
Ou 2001 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Puangsricharern 2008 | Low | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Unclear |
Li 2010 | High | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Liu 2012 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Unclear | High | High | Unclear |
Moxa | |||||||
Fan 1995 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Unclear | Low | Low | Unclear |
Xu 2009 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Low | Unclear |
Lu 2012 | Unclear | Unclear | High | Low | Low | Unclear | Unclear |
Effects of interventions
Studies (author, year) | Number of subjects, intervention | Outcome measurement | Outcomes cured rate n/N (%) | Included in pooling | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Treatment group | Comparator | Treatment group | Comparator | |||
Dundee 1988 | Acupressure P6 N = 119 | Sham acupressure N = 112 | Emetic symptoms: cured rate based on subjective report | 32/119 (26.89 %) | 17/112 (15.18 %) | * |
Dundee 1988 | Acupressure P6 N = 119 | No treatment N = 119 | Emetic symptoms: cured rate based on subjective report | 32/119 (26.89 %) | 15/119 (12.60 %) | |
Jiang 2012 | Acupressure P6 + ear acupressure N = 65 | Conventional IV fluid therapy N = 65 | Nausea, vomiting, rate of food intake, ketonuria: Cured rate | 42/65 (64.6 %) | 25/65 (38.5 %) | * |
Norheim 2001 | Acupressure P6 N = 48 | Placebo acupressure N = 49 | Intensity of symptoms: VAS. Improved rate. | 34/48 (71 %) | 31/49 (63 %) | * |
Neri 2005 | Acupuncture + P6 acupressure N = 43 | Metoclopramide infusion + Vit B 12 complex N = 38 | Vomiting episodes: improved rate after session 3 | 24/43 (55.81 %) | 14/38 (36.84 %) | * |
Zhang 2005 | Acupuncture + moxibustion (AMC) N = 50 | Chinese herbal medicine N = 50 | NVP, ketones, electrolytes, rate of food intake: cured rate | 21/50 (42 %) | 9/50 (15.25 %) | |
Zhang 2005 | Acupuncture + moxibustion (AMC) N = 50 | IV fluid therapy + conventional therapy N = 50 | NVP, ketones, electrolytes, rate of food intake: cured rate | 21/50 (42 %) | 5/50 (9.09 %) | * |
Liu 2007 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 47 | IV fluid therapy N = 47 | Treatment effect: Nausea, vomiting, food intake | 38/47 (80.85 %) | 23/47 (48.93 %) | * |
Wang 2008 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 53 | IV fluid therapy N = 42 | Nausea, vomiting, electrolytes | 41/53 (77.35 %) | 17/42 (0.47 %) | * |
Mao 2009 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 30 | IV fluid therapy + Chinese herbal medicine N = 30 | Total treatment effect: electrolytes and vomiting rate: cured rate | 27/30 (90 %) | 3/30 (10 %) | |
Mao 2009 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 30 | IV fluid therapy + conventional therapy N = 30 | Ketones: cured rate | 27/30 (90 %) | 4/30 (13.33 %) | * |
Liu 2011 | TCM Acupuncture N = 30 | TCM Moxibustion N = 30 | Nausea and vomiting, ketones, rate of food intake: cured rate | 20/30 (66.67 %) | 19/30 (63.33 %) | * |
Ma 2013 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 30 | IV fluid therapy N = 30 | Total treatment effect: ketones, vomiting rate: cured rate | 28/30 (93.3 %) | 10/30 (33.33 %) | * |
Ou 2001 | Ear acupressure N = 30 | Chinese herbal medicine N = 30 | Total treatment effect: electrolytes, nausea and vomiting rate: cured rate | 3/30 (10.0 %) | 3/30 (10.0 %) | * |
Fan 1995 | TCM moxa N = 151 | Chinese herbal decoction N = 151 | Nausea and vomiting Total: Cured rate | 146/151 (96.7 %) | 89/151 (58.9 %) | * |
Xu 2009 | TCM moxa N = 26 | IV fluid therapy N = 25 | Nausea and vomiting, ketones, rate of food intake: Cured rate | 17/26 (65.38 %) | 9/25 (36.0 %) | * |
Lu 2012 | TCM Moxa + IV fluid + conventional therapy N = 32 | IV fluid therapy + conventional therapy N = 32 | Nausea and vomiting, ketones, rate of food intake: Cured rate | 10/32 (31.25 %) | 5/32 (15.62 %) | * |
Studies (author, year) | Number of subjects, intervention | Outcome measurement | Outcomes (mean + SD) | Included in pooling | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Treatment group | Comparator | Treatment group | Comparator | |||
Belluomini 1994 | Acupressure P6 N = 30 | Sham acupressure point N = 30 | Rhodes Index scores | 5.80 ± 2.9 | 7.04 ± 2.6 | * |
Nausea scores: | ||||||
Belluomini 1994 | Acupressure P6 N = 30 | Sham acupressure point N = 30 | Rhodes Index scores | 1.28 ± 1.9 | 1.63 ± 2.3 | * |
Emesis scores: | ||||||
Belluomini 1994 | Acupressure P6 N = 30 | Sham acupressure point N = 30 | Total | 8.69 ± 5.0 | 10.03 ± 4.6 | * |
Werntoft 2001 | Acupressure P6 N = 20 | Sham acupressure N = 20 | VAS | 4.2 ± 2.6 | 5.9 ± 2.4 | * |
Degree of nausea | ||||||
Werntoft 2001 | Acupressure P6 N = 20 | No treatment N = 20 | VAS | 4.2 ± 2.6 | 6.5 ± 2.2 | |
Mean degree of nausea | ||||||
Jamigorn 2007 | Acupressure P6 + placebo tablets N = 33 | Sham acupressure + Vit B6 N = 33 | Rhodes index score, Improvement in nausea, vomiting and retching | 4.1 ± 1.8 | 5.3 ± 2.1 | * |
Saberi 2013 | Acupressure P6 N = 48 | No treatment N = 45 | Rhodes Index scores | 4.25 ± 3.38 | 5.66 ± 3.10 | * |
Vomiting | ||||||
Nausea | 8.03 ± 4.11 | 7.08 ± 3.0 | * | |||
Retching | 3.66 ± 2.47 | 4.48 ± 2.25 | ||||
Total | 14.56 ± 8.66 | 17.23 ± 6.91 | * | |||
Smith 2002 | Traditional acupuncture N = 148 | Sham Acupuncture N = 148 | Nausea | 3.4 ± 3.0 | 3.7 ± 2.8 | * |
Dry retching | 0.8 ± 1.4 | 0.9 ± 1.4 | ||||
Vomiting | 0.9 ± 1.5 | 1.0 ± 1.6 | * | |||
Smith 2002 | TCM Acupuncture N = 148 | Acupressure P6 N = 148 | Rhodes Index scores: | 3.4 ± 3.0 | 4.0 ± 3.3 | |
Nausea | ||||||
Dry retching | 0.8 ± 1.4 | 0.9 ± 1.3 | ||||
Vomting | 0.9 ± 1.5 | 0.9 ± 1.8 | ||||
Smith 2002 | Traditional acupuncture N = 148 | No treatment N = 149 | Rhodes Index scores | 3.4 ± 3.0 | 5.0 ± 3.0 | |
Nausea | ||||||
Dry Retching | 0.8 ± 1.4 | 1.6 ± 1.7 | ||||
Vomiting | 0.9 ± 1.5 | 1.4 ± 2.0 | ||||
Mao 2009 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 30 | IV fluid therapy + Chinese herbal medicine N = 30 | Ketones | 1.20 ± 0.41 | 1.53 ± 0.68 | |
Mao 2009 | Acupuncture + IV therapy N = 30 | IV fluid therapy + conventional therapy N = 30 | Ketones | 1.20 ± 0.41 | 1.60 ± 0.72 | |
Ou 2001 | Ear acupressure N = 30 | Chinese herbal medicine N = 30 | Vomiting | 3.53 ± 1.72 | 1.33 ± 1.69 | * |
Ketones | 1.47 ± 1.66 | 0.67 ± 1.32 | ||||
Main symptoms | 18.4 ± 11.02 | 12.13 ± 9.67 | * | |||
Puangsricharern 2008 | Auricular acupressure N = 45 | No treatment N = 46 | Mean Rhodes index Nausea and vomiting scores | 7.7 ± 4.9 | 11.3 ± 9.2 | * |
Reason for exclusion | Study | Significance for treatment group according to author |
---|---|---|
No measure of variability | Shin 2007 | - significant for degree of nausea and vomiting |
- significant reduction for ketonuria levels over time by women with HG. | ||
Li 2010 | - significant difference (P <0.05) for the severity and frequency of nausea and vomiting). | |
- ketone bodies disappeared in the 2 acupressure groups significantly faster (p < 0.05) than in the group with IV fluid therapy. | ||
Liu 2012 | - a statistically significant difference (P <0.05) for the severity and frequency of nausea and vomiting compared to IV fluid therapy. | |
Data reported in Mean and interquartile range (IQR) | Rad 2012 | - statistically significant difference favouring Youmen acupressure over sham acupressure |
Heazell | - no difference between length of stay, amount of medication, or fluid required between the acupressure and placebo groups | |
- acupressure reduced the number of patients who stayed more than four nights in the hospital. | ||
Knight | - no statistically significant difference between the control and intervention groups. | |
Data reported in Mean rank | Steele | - The treatment group had significantly less frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy than the placebo group |
Can Gurkan | - Acupressure would appear to be effective in symptom control, and alleviation and placebo effects in reducing the symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. | |
Data reported only means of error bar plots | O’Brien 1996 | - No benefit of acupressure for symptom relief compared with either sham acupressure or no treatment |