Acupuncture for cancer patients suffering from hiccups: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating hiccups in patients with cancer.

METHOD: Thirteen databases were searched from their inception through July 2011 without language restrictions. Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were included if acupuncture was used as the sole treatment or as a part of a combination therapy with conventional drugs for hiccups in cancer patients. Studies were included if they compared acupuncture to placebo, drug therapy or no treatment. Cochrane criteria were used to assess the risk of bias.

RESULTS: A total of 5 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. All of the included RCTs were associated with a high risk of bias. The majority of studies suggested favourable effects of acupuncture compared with conventional treatments. A meta-analysis revealed superior response rates for acupuncture compared with intramuscular injections (n=162; RR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.26-2.78; P=0.002; heterogeneity: χ(2)=3.16, P=0. 21, I(2)=37%).

CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review provides very limited evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture compared with the conventional therapy (intramuscular injections) for treating hiccups. The total number, as well as was the methodological quality, of the RCTs included in this review was low. Rigorous RCTs will be necessary in the future to test the efficacy of acupuncture for treating hiccups in cancer patients.