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Acupuncture For Smoking Cessation, Acupuncture To Stop Smoking, Study Finds Mixed Results For Acupuncture And Smoking Cessation.


Acupuncture for smoking cessation (Cochrane Review)

White AR, Rampes H, Ernst E

A substantive amendment to this systematic review was last made on 18 February 2002. Cochrane reviews are regularly checked and updated if necessary.

Background: Acupuncture and related techniques are promoted as a treatment for smoking cessation in the belief that they may reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Objectives: The objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture and the allied therapies of acupressure, laser therapy and electrostimulation, in smoking cessation in comparison with: a) sham treatment, b) other interventions, or c) no intervention.

Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Medline, Embase, BIOSIS Previews, PsycINFO, Science and Social Sciences Citation Index, AMED and CISCOM. Date of last search January 2002.

Selection criteria: Randomised trials comparing a form of acupuncture, acupressure, laser therapy or electrostimulation with either sham treatment, another intervention or no intervention for smoking cessation.

Data collection and analysis: We extracted data in duplicate on the type of smokers recruited, the nature of the acupuncture and control procedures, the outcome measures, method of randomisation, and completeness of follow-up.We assessed abstinence from smoking at the earliest time-point (before 6 weeks), at six months and at one year or more follow-up in patients smoking at baseline. We used the most rigorous definition of abstinence for each trial, and biochemically validated rates if available. Those lost to follow-up were counted as continuing to smoke. Where appropriate, we performed meta-analysis using a fixed effects model.

Source from: update-software.com


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Acupuncture to stop smoking

This is by way of a late millennial reminder for those still smoking cigarettes. Some may be tempted to try acupuncture to help stop. But does it work? A first-class systematic review says not [1, 2]. Actually there are two reviews, one [1] recently published in the Cochrane Library and dates June 1999. The other [2] is also recently published, but its completion date is in 1997. The paper took two years from acceptance to publication, an interesting comment on the information age! We use information from the more contemporary review.

Search

Typically broad for this group, it included nine databases. Trials had to be randomised comparisons of acupuncture with sham acupuncture, another intervention, or no treatment. Various techniques were examined and information obtained on that and other critical issues to acupuncturists. The only outcome they were interested was complete abstinence from smoking early after treatment and at six and 12 months.

Results

There were 20 controlled studies for analysis. At early times, there was no difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture (Figure 1, Table 1) with 2069 patients. There was no difference in abstinence rates at six months with 719 patients (Figure 2) or 12 months (Table 1). Where there was useful data on comparison with no treatment, there was no difference in abstinence rates at six months.

Source from: jr2.ox.ac.uk


Study Finds Mixed Results for Acupuncture and Smoking Cessation

Although acupuncture has been an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, the idea of using acupuncture to help people overcome certain addictions is relatively new. In fact, the idea of acupuncture as a form of addiction treatment happened almost by chance in the early 1970s, when a patient who happened to be suffering withdrawal symptoms from an opium addiction reported his symptoms disappeared after receiving electroacupuncture prior to surgery.1

Since that time, more than 200 acupuncture detoxification programs have been established in the United States and Europe. One of the most common addiction-related uses for acupuncture is to help people quit smoking. Unfortunately, few studies have been conducted in this area; those which have been published have shown little proof as to how acupuncture helps smokers break their addiction.

In an effort to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in helping smokers kick their habit and examine which acupuncture technique is most effective, a team of scientists in Great Britain conducted a meta-analysis of 14 randomized, controlled trials of acupuncture for smoking. Their findings, published in the Winter 1999 issue of Tobacco Control, conclude that while acupuncture "appears to have important non-specific effects," it is "not superior to sham acupuncture for smoking cessation." They also found that "no particular aspect of acupuncture technique was associated with a positive effect."2

Dr. Adrian White and colleagues from the University of Exeter examined the trials, which were conducted between 1977 and 1992. Four studies involved needle insertion into the ear. Three studies involved insertion of needles into points along the face. The other studies used a combination of modalities (ear/facial acupuncture and electroacupuncture) or other forms of intervention (behavior therapy, being put on a waiting list, and nicotine gum).

Two acupuncture techniques were also examined. In eight studies, needles were inserted for 10-20 minutes and then removed. The others used indwelling needles inserted into a point (or points) along the ear, which were held in place for one or two weeks with an adhesive dressing. Subjects were instructed to press the needle whenever they felt a craving.

Patients were measured to see if they had completely stopped smoking at three time points: between 1-6 weeks after receiving treatment; after six months; and after 12 months. Scientists measured the treatment's success by calculating the odds ratio for each trial - that is, the ratio of people who quit smoking in each group compared to those who did not.

Source from: acupuncturetoday.com


Acupuncture for smoking cessation.

White AR, Rampes H, Ernst E.

Department of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter, UK, EX2 4NT. a.r.white@exeter.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture and related techniques are promoted as a treatment for smoking cessation in the belief that they may reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture and the allied therapies of acupressure, laser therapy and electrostimulation, in smoking cessation in comparison with: a) sham treatment, b) other interventions, or c) no intervention. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Medline, Embase, BIOSIS Previews, PsycINFO, Science and Social Sciences Citation Index, AMED and CISCOM. Date of last search January 2002. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing a form of acupuncture, acupressure, laser therapy or electrostimulation with either sham treatment, another intervention or no intervention for smoking cessation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We extracted dat a in duplicate on the type of smokers recruited, the nature of the acupuncture and control procedures, the outcome measures, method of randomisation, and completeness of follow-up. We assessed abstinence from smoking at the earliest time-point (before 6 weeks), at six months and at one year or more follow-up in patients smoking at baseline. We used the most rigorous definition of abstinence for each trial, and biochemically validated rates if available. Those lost to follow-up were counted as continuing to smoke. Where appropriate, we performed meta-analysis using a fixed effects model. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 22 studies. Acupuncture was not superior to sham acupuncture in smoking cessation at any time point. The odds ratio (OR) for early outcomes was 1.22 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.49); the OR after 6 months was 1.50 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 2.27) and after 12 months 1.08 (95% confidence interval 0.77 to 1.52). Similarly, when acupuncture was compared with other anti-smoking interventions, there were no differences in outcome at any time point. Acupuncture appeared to be superior to no intervention in the early results, but this difference was not sustained. The results with different acupuncture techniques do not show any one particular method (i.e. auricular acupuncture or non-auricular acupuncture) to be superior to control intervention. Based on the results of single studies, acupressure was found to be superior to advice; laser therapy and electrostimulation were not superior to sham forms of these therapies. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is no clear evidence that acupuncture, acupressure, laser therapy or electrostimulation are effective for smoking cessation.

Source from: quitsmoking.about.com

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