{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T10:59:59Z","timestamp":1771930799417,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]],"date-time":"2026-02-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770595200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Acupuncture has been used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD); however, its effects remain uncertain. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for FD using systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials (RCTs).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We searched six databases and two trial registries up to March 13, 2025. Paired reviewers screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. We performed meta-analyses using random-effects models and assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We included 23 RCTs (2,454 participants). Compared to sham acupuncture, high to moderate certainty evidence shows that acupuncture probably improves FD symptoms (weighted mean difference [WMD] \u221214.46 points on the 195-point NDSI, 95% CI \u221216.31 to \u221212.62) and quality of life (WMD 10.39 points on the 100-point NDLQI, 95% CI 7.06 to 13.73) without an increase in adverse events (relative risk 1.15, 95% CI 0.63, 2.09). Compared to no treatment or usual care, moderate certainty evidence shows that acupuncture probably improves FD symptoms (WMD \u221220.19 points on the 195-point NDSI, 95% CI \u221230.22 to \u221210.15). When compared with prokinetics (itopride, mosapride, and domperidone), acupuncture probably improves quality of life (WMD 5.69 points on the 100-point NDLQI, 95% CI 4.36 to 7.02) and may improve FD symptoms (WMD \u221217.40 points on the 195-point NDSI, 95% CI \u221229.08 to \u22125.72).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Acupuncture probably improves FD symptoms and quality of life when compared with sham acupuncture, no treatment or usual care, and prokinetics.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:uri>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/14651858.CD008487<\/jats:uri>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1718632","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]],"date-time":"2026-02-09T05:22:13Z","timestamp":1770614533000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Xing-Xian","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhuo-Ya","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zi-Chen","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Juan","family":"Tang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yun-Yu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dong-Hua","family":"Zeng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Qian-Qian","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wen-Bin","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Lan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Acupuncture and Tuina College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Li","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anaesthesia, McMaster University","place":["Hamilton, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University","place":["Hamilton, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University","place":["Hamilton, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1049","DOI":"10.1136\/gutjnl-2014-307843","article-title":"Global prevalence of, and risk factors for, uninvestigated dyspepsia: a meta-analysis","volume":"64","author":"Ford","year":"2015","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"ref2","article-title":"Functional dyspepsia","volume-title":"Treasure Island (FL). StatPearls [Internet]","author":"Francis","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17081","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2017.81","article-title":"Functional dyspepsia","volume":"3","author":"Enck","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat Rev Dis Primers"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mayocp.2013.06.009","article-title":"Acupuncture","volume":"88","author":"Chon","year":"2013","journal-title":"Mayo Clin Proc"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.20060\/j.cnki.issn1009-3222.2018.04.001","article-title":"Perspective and perspective of new factions of acupuncture","volume":"19","author":"Shujian","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Nanjing Univ Tradit Chin Med (Soc Sci Edn)"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1089\/acm.1996.2.23","article-title":"Acupuncture techniques and devices","volume":"2","author":"Lao","year":"1996","journal-title":"J Altern Complement Med"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1664","DOI":"10.1016\/s0140-6736(20)32115-2","article-title":"Functional gastrointestinal disorders: advances in understanding and management","volume":"396","author":"Black","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1080\/13546805.2021.1897558","article-title":"Impaired pain empathic abilities among patients with functional dyspepsia","volume":"26","author":"Hu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cogn Neuropsychiatry"},{"key":"ref9","volume-title":"Psychological characteristics and different responses to a meal in functional connectivity density","author":"Yiping","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1368","DOI":"10.1136\/gutjnl-2012-302228","article-title":"Direction of the brain\u2014gut pathway in functional gastrointestinal disorders","volume":"61","author":"Whitehouse","year":"2012","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2154","DOI":"10.1007\/s10620-006-9412-x","article-title":"Electroacupuncture accelerates solid gastric emptying and improves dyspeptic symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia","volume":"51","author":"Xu","year":"2006","journal-title":"Dig Dis Sci"},{"key":"ref12","volume-title":"Study on the effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture on the enteric nervous system of rats with functional dyspepsia","author":"Zhaoxia","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"860463","DOI":"10.1155\/2015\/860463","article-title":"Brain-gut Axis modulation of acupuncture in functional dyspepsia: a preliminary resting-state fcMRI study","volume":"2015","author":"Fang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Evid Based Complement Alternat Med"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1016\/j.joim.2017.12.002","article-title":"Brain functional connectivity network studies of acupuncture: a systematic review on resting-state fMRI","volume":"16","author":"Cai","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Integr Med"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"781215","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2021.781215","article-title":"Potential mechanisms of acupuncture for functional dyspepsia based on pathophysiology","volume":"15","author":"Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Neurosci"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"759","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctim.2015.07.007","article-title":"Efficacy of acupuncture treatment for functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"23","author":"Kim","year":"2015","journal-title":"Complement Ther Med"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wjam.2020.11.015","article-title":"Systematic review and meta-analysis of the therapeutic effect on functional dyspepsia treated with acupuncture and electroacupuncture","volume":"3","author":"Han","year":"2021","journal-title":"World J Acupunct Moxibustion"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2440","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v26.i19.2440","article-title":"Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture and electroacupuncture for functional dyspepsia: a systematic review","volume":"26","author":"Guo","year":"2020","journal-title":"World J Gastroenterol"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e23014","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000023014","article-title":"Electroacupuncture for the treatment of functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"99","author":"Mao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3862916","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/3862916","article-title":"Acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: what strength does it have? 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on the treatment of functional dyspepsia by \u201creconcile to harmony\u201d acupuncture","author":"Han","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2014.05.015","article-title":"Clinical evaluation study on long-term effect of acupuncture with symptom differentiation on functional dyspepsia","volume":"34","author":"Li","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chin Acupunct Moxibustion"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1165","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2019.11.008","article-title":"Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture at \u201cexperienced ten acupoints\u201d for postprandial distress syndrome","volume":"39","author":"Kim","year":"2019","journal-title":"Zhongguo Zhen Jiu"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2014.02.007","article-title":"Effects of syndrome-differentiation acupuncture on life quality in patients with functional 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