Acupuncture for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a protocol of a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
14 databases will be searched from their inception. These include PubMed, AMED, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, seven Korean medical databases (Korean Studies Information Service System, DBPIA, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Research Information Service System, KoreaMed, The Town Society of Science Technology and the Korean National Assembly Library), three Chinese Databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), and the Wanfang Database). Only randomised clinical trials (RCTs) using acupuncture for COPD will be considered. The selection of the studies, data abstraction and validation will be performed independently by two researchers. Methodological quality will be assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias.


RESULTS
The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The review will also be disseminated electronically and in print. Updates of the review will be conducted to inform and guide the healthcare practice and policy.


BACKGROUND
PROSPERO 2013: CRD42013004824.
Medical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
Tae-Young
TY
Choi
Ji Hee
JH
Jun
Jun-Young
JY
Choi
Jong-In
JI
Kim
Myeong Soo
MS
Lee
Edzard
E
Ernst
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic
Complementary Medicine; Respiratory Medicine (see Thoracic Medicine)