Acupuncture for smoking cessation: an overview of systematic reviews
Shun Fan, Jixuan Wang, Xiaoyu Wang, Haining Zhang, Huanan Li, Jianwu Wang, Wei Zhang, Jingui Wang

TL;DR
This study reviews existing research on acupuncture for quitting smoking and finds some short-term benefits but highlights the need for better-quality studies.
Contribution
The paper provides a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews on acupuncture for smoking cessation, re-analyzing data and assessing methodological quality.
Findings
Acupuncture showed improved short-term abstinence rates compared to sham and waiting list controls.
No significant long-term benefits or superiority over nicotine replacement therapy were found.
Methodological quality of included reviews was low, and TSA suggested a risk of false-positive results.
Abstract
An increasing number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated various forms of acupuncture for smoking cessation; however, their findings remain inconsistent, and substantial controversy persists regarding both its efficacy and safety. This overview aimed to synthesize the outcome evidence presented in existing systematic reviews (SRs) on acupuncture for smoking cessation, appraise the methodological quality of the included SRs, and re-evaluate the primary outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in eight databases from inception to December 31, 2024, with no language restrictions. Two independent reviewers screened the eligible studies. The methodological quality of the included SRs was assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). The Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) tool was used to evaluate potential bias.…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAcupuncture Treatment Research Studies · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
