Non-pharmacological Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies show associations with reduced fatigue and improved sleep in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.
A network meta-analysis examined the comparative effectiveness of non-pharmacological Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, involving 2234 participants. The analysis compared moxibustion, massage, and cupping therapy against conventional care across multiple outcomes. Uncertainties in the available evidence and limitations of the included studies necessitate cautious interpretation of these results.
The analysis indicated that moxibustion was associated with a reduction in overall fatigue, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of -1.84 (95% CI, -2.25 to -1.44). Massage therapy showed associations with reductions in physical fatigue (SMD, -2.21; 95% CI, -2.65 to -1.77) and mental fatigue (SMD, -2.05; 95% CI, -3.07 to -1.02). Additionally, massage was associated with reductions in anxiety (SMD, -3.35; 95% CI, -6.64 to -0.05) and depression (SMD, -1.23; 95% CI, -1.76 to -0.69).
Cupping therapy was associated with improved sleep quality, yielding an SMD of -4.60 (95% CI, -7.05 to -2.15). No data were reported regarding adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, or overall tolerability. The study did not report a specific primary outcome, and follow-up duration was not specified.
These associations should not be interpreted as causation. The generalizability of these findings beyond the specific therapies studied remains uncertain. Clinicians should consider these results as preliminary evidence pending further high-quality research to confirm efficacy and safety profiles.
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