Efficacy of Acupuncture for Prurigo Nodularis: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by severe pruritus, significantly impairing patients’ quality of life and work capacity. Acupuncture has emerged as a promising therapeutic option, with a growing body of research demonstrating its notable efficacy in treating this condition. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear, and current evidence lacks integration to help clinical decisions. This study initiates the first systematic evaluation through meta-analysis to assess acupuncture's therapeutic value for PN.

Methods: Authors will systematically search the randomized controlled trial (RCT) literatures involving acupuncture for treating PN from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science (WOS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang database, China Scientific and Technology Journal Database (VIP). We will define the Worst Itch Numeric Rating Scale (WI-NRS) and the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) as the primary outcomes, total effective rate, quality of life score (e.g., Dermatology Life Quality Index), adverse reactions caused by acupuncture will be regarded as the secondary outcomes. RevMan v.5.3 software will be used for the purposes of screening literature, gathering data, analyzing data, and synthesizing data. Additionally, authors will assess the risk of bias in all included studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for risk of bias assessment.

Results: The protocol for the meta-analysis will systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in treating PN.

Conclusion: The conclusion of this protocol will provide evidence regarding the efficacy of acupuncture in treating PN, and establish a foundation for future acupuncture treatments.

Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD420261325566

Ethics and dissemination: As this study synthesizes existing data without involving individual patient information, ethics committee approval was exempted. The findings will undergo peer-reviewed publication and international conference presentation to ensure knowledge dissemination.