The Effectiveness of Acupressure on Sleep Quality in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.
Chenxi Yang, Yangxi Huang, Weihong Ling and 2 others
PMID 40235128WHAT IT FOUND
Acupressure improved sleep quality in cancer patients, with effects seen at four weeks.
The trials varied widely and likely missed negative trials, so treat it as a possible supportive symptom-care option, not a proven cure.
Key findings
01Acupressure improved sleep quality at post-intervention by a large combined effect (SMD = −1.38, 95% CI −1.81 to −0.95, p < 0.001), but the studies varied very widely (I² = 94%).
02The improvement was still present at 4-week follow-up, but was small to medium (SMD = −0.33, 95% CI −0.56 to −0.10, p = 0.004).
03Reported side effects were mild and included local ulcers or bruising, pain, nausea, finger fatigue, and acupoint allergy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The included studies had very high heterogeneity for post-intervention sleep quality (I² = 94%), so the average effect may not predict the effect for an individual patient. Publication bias was detected, and the adjusted effect was smaller than the original pooled effect. Only three studies included a 4-week follow-up assessment, so longer-term effects are uncertain. Many trials had some concerns or high risk of bias, especially because blinding and delivery of acupressure are difficult to conceal. Most studies were conducted in China, and only English or Chinese studies were included, limiting generalisability to other settings. Intervention details varied widely, including acupoint number, session number, session duration, and overall intervention duration, so the optimal acupressure protocol is unknown. Secondary outcomes for total sleep time and wake after sleep onset were based on few studies and were not robust in sensitivity analyses.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the large post-intervention effect as proof that acupressure works for every cancer patient. The trials varied widely, publication bias was detected, and some subgroup findings rest on very few studies.