Effect of Laser Auricular Acupuncture in Tobacco Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: This study explores laser auricular acupuncture as a potential solution for nicotine dependence, comparing it to conventional counseling. With a death every 6.5 s due to tobacco, the systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of laser acupuncture versus counseling or placebo, offering insights into innovative strategies for combating tobacco addiction.Methods: A systematic search across scientific databases yielded 2537 articles (2000-2021), reduced to 1294 after deduplication. Abstract screening narrowed it down to eight articles; after a full-text assessment based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, four were selected. Inter-rater reliability between coders (Z.A., M.R.K.) was strong at each screening stage, with perfect agreement at the full text (kappa = 1.0), abstract (kappa = 0.99), and title (kappa = 0.89) stages, all with a 95% confidence interval.Results: In the meta-analysis of two studies on post-intervention nicotine dependence using the Fagerstrom scale, the laser group showed significantly lower scores (p = 0.002, mean difference = -0.60). Examining subjects who failed to quit smoking immediately after therapy, the laser group had 53.8% continuation compared to 83.0% in the comparison group (non-significant difference). At the 3-month mark, the continuation rates were 60.8% for the laser group and 86.6% for the comparison group (non-significant difference).Conclusion: Potential superiority of laser auricular acupuncture over behavioral counseling in tobacco cessation, with reported safety. However, the limited trials and sample size warrant cautious interpretation. Laser therapy emerges as a promising modality, but further extensive trials, especially in combination with other interventions, are crucial to solidify its efficacy in facilitating successful tobacco cessation.