Auriculotherapy for the intervention effect of chronic heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis

TL;DR

Auriculotherapy, when used with standard treatment, may improve heart function and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.

Contribution

This study provides the first systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating auriculotherapy's effectiveness in chronic heart failure.

Findings

Auriculotherapy improved cardiac function and exercise capacity in CHF patients.

It increased left ventricular ejection fraction and reduced left ventricular end-diastolic diameter.

Quality of life improved with no significant increase in adverse reactions.

Abstract

Auriculotherapy is a complementary therapy known to improve quality of life in various diseases; however, its clinical application in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) remains limited, partly due to the lack of standardized efficacy evaluation indicators.

Relevant randomized controlled trials on CHF were systematically searched from database inception to November 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Any disagreements were resolved by consensus with the assistance of a third reviewer. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4.

A total of 24 studies involving 2,387 patients were included in the study. The results of meta-analysis demonstrated that auriculotherapy combined with conventional treatment improved the effective rate of cardiac function improvement [odds ratio (OR) = 3.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.86–5.38, P < 0.00001], increased left ventricular ejection fraction [mean difference (MD) = 4.07, 95% CI: 3.57–4.58, P < 0.00001], reduced left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (MD = −4.27, 95% CI: −4.98 to −3.56, P < 0.00001), and prolonged 6-min walking test distance (MD = 65.11, 95% CI: 62.55–67.68, P < 0.00001). It also reduced the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire score (MD = −7.29, 95% CI: −8.52 to −6.06, P < 0.00001). The incidence of adverse reactions did not differ significantly between groups (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.27–1.10, P = 0.09).

The available evidence suggests that auriculotherapy is a safe adjunctive therapy for CHF, capable of improving overall clinical effectiveness, enhancing cardiac function, and improving exercise capacity and quality of life.

PROSPERO CRD42024621500.

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