Optimizing acupuncture treatment for dry eye syndrome: a systematic review

Table 3 Results of subgroup analysis by treatment duration, frequency, and specific acupoints

Variables		Number of studies	Number of eyes		SMD	95%CI	Heterogeneity (I²)	MD (95% CI)
Variables		Number of studies	Acupuncture	AT	SMD	95%CI	Heterogeneity (I²)	MD (95% CI)
Duration	Short term	7	586	488	0.54	0.30–0.78	86%	−0.41 (−1.10, 0.28)
Duration	Long term	4	148	106	0.95	0.30–1.59	87%	−0.41 (−1.10, 0.28)
Frequency	Less frequent	4	250	208	0.49	0.19–0.79	79%	−0.22 (−0.67, 0.22)
Frequency	Intensive	7	484	386	0.71	0.37–1.05	90%	−0.22 (−0.67, 0.22)
BL1	Included	4	270	214	0.60	0.29–0.91	81%	−0.04 (−0.49, 0.41)
BL1	Not included	7	464	380	0.64	0.32–.0.96	89%	−0.04 (−0.49, 0.41)
BL2^a	Included	4	264	264	0.35	0.11–0.60	71%	−0.46 (− 0.86, − 0.06)
BL2^a	Not included	8	470	360	0.81	0.49–1.12	89%	−0.46 (− 0.86, − 0.06)
ST1^a	Included	5	330	336	0.28	0.01–0.52	77%	−0.63 (−1.02, − 0.24)
ST1^a	Not included	7	404	288	0.91	0.60–1.22	85%	−0.63 (−1.02, − 0.24)
ST2	Included	4	148	106	0.95	0.30–1.59	91%	0.41 (−0.28, 1.10)
ST2	Not included	7	586	488	0.54	0.30–0.78	86%	0.41 (−0.28, 1.10)
TE23^a	Included	6	354	348	0.59	0.25–0.96	88%	−0.10 (− 0.55, 0.35)
TE23^a	Not included	6	380	276	0.69	0.40–0.99	87%	−0.10 (− 0.55, 0.35)
Ex-HN5	Included	6	398	350	0.60	0.27–0.93	88%	−0.03 (−0.56, 0.50)
Ex-HN5	Not included	5	336	244	0.63	0.30–0.96	86%	−0.03 (−0.56, 0.50)

^aWang et al. [15] study consists of two different acupuncture group. One group included BL2, ST1, TE23 and the other did not. For the reason, number of studies and number of eyes of AT group was double-counted

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