Efficacy of knee osteoarthritis by use of laser acupuncture: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Previous studies need to be aggregated and updated. We aim to assess the efficacy of laser acupuncture (LA) in knee osteoarthritis (OA) through a meta-analysis. Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies investigating laser acupuncture’s efficacy in managing OA. Data were collected from the beginning of each database to 2022 (up to March). The “WOMAC total score,” “WOMAC stiffness score,” “WOMAC pain score,” “WOMAC physical function score,” and “VAS score” were the key outcomes of interest. The Der Simonian-Laird method for random effects was used. Results: Twenty-five randomized controlled clinical trials met our criteria and were included (2075 patients). Comparisons of interest is the LA versus Sham LA (efficacy), LA versus. A (Acupuncture) (comparative effectiveness), LA combined with A versus A (effectiveness as an adjunct), and any other research used LA in their treatment. Laser irradiation is effective in patients with Knee OA. LA is also effective and has almost the same outcome as laser irradiation. LA can achieve almost the same effect as manual acupuncture, even better than acupuncture in some studies. Conclusion: Laser acupuncture is more or less effective in patients with OA; better efficacy will be achieved under appropriate laser parameters (810 nm, 785 nm) in the LA versus Sham LA group. Many studies have diverse results, possibly due to unstaged analysis of patients’ disease, inappropriate selection of acupoints, lack of remote combined acupoints, and unreasonable laser parameters. Furthermore, a combination of acupoints was found to be more effective, which aligns with the combined-acupoints application of traditional Chinese medicine.