title: Tian jiu therapy for the treatment of asthma in adult patients: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review and evaluate the efficacy and safety of tian jiu therapy on san fu tian for adults with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search through August 31, 2013, was done to identify comparative studies evaluating effective rate, pulmonary function, immune response, recurrence rate, quality of life, and adverse events. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched; only randomized controlled trials with treatment groups using tian jiu therapy were included. Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool and Review Manager software, version 5.2, were used for the data synthesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six studies involving 657 patients were identified. tian jiu therapy was more effective than the control intervention (odds ratio [OR], 3.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.05-6.00; p<0.00001; I(2)=18%). The treatment group had a bigger decrease in IgE level (standard mean difference [SMD], -1.40; 95% CI, -2.18 to -0.63; p=0.0004; I(2)=85%) and Eosinophil (Eos) level (SMD, -4.26; 95% CI, -6.28 to -2.23; p<0.00001; I(2)=91%) compared with the control group. Included studies had a high risk of bias. Few adverse effects were reported in the included studies, and no serious adverse responses occurred. Adverse effects did not result in any dropouts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All studies indicated that tian jiu therapy has a positive effect on adults with asthma and that it is relatively safe because of its noninvasive nature. However, the limitations of the research design of the existing studies resulted in high risk of bias. More randomized controlled trials of better methodologic quality are needed to further confirm efficacy and safety of this therapy.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam , Hong Kong, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Clara W C
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Sau Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwai Ching
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Hei Kiu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D016017:Odds Ratio; D008517:Phytotherapy
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007073:Immunoglobulin E