Meta-analysis of the efficacy of Jingjin acupuncture therapy in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy

Background This study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of Jingjin (muscle region of the meridian, sinew/tendon/fascia) acupuncture therapy for the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy. Methods Computer searches of the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM) Database, Wanfang database, Wipu (VIP) database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database for published randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies on Jingjin acupuncture treatment of cerebral palsy from the beginning of the database construction until 30 November 2023 were performed, and the quality of the papers was assessed through independent data extraction by two individuals and then meta-analyzed using RevMan5.4 software. A total of 20 RCTs involving 1,453 patients were included. Results The overall effective rate of Jingjin acupuncture therapy was better than that of conventional therapy, with a combined odds ratio (OR) of 4.70 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of [3.05, 7.24]. The Modified Ashworth Spasticity (MAS) Scale, Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Fine Motor Function Measure (FMFM), and Comprehensive Spasticity Scale (CSS) scores are superior to conventional therapy. Conclusion Jingjin acupuncture therapy is effective in treating spastic cerebral palsy and has better overall efficacy than conventional therapy. Due to the low quality of some of the literature in this study type, more high-quality, well-designed clinical studies are needed to validate it.