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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Neurosci.

Sec. Autonomic Neuroscience

Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1694110

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in Modulating Autonomic Nervous Function: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Provisionally accepted
Ying-zhi  MaYing-zhi Ma1Pu-yao  ZhangPu-yao Zhang1Tao  DuTao Du2Zi-chen  WangZi-chen Wang1Tian-duo  WangTian-duo Wang2Ai-hui  FuAi-hui Fu2Zhao-mei-zi  WangZhao-mei-zi Wang2Tie-ming  MaTie-ming Ma1*Wei  ZhangWei Zhang2*
  • 1Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
  • 2Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shenyang, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Background The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a pivotal role in maintaining physiological homeostasis, and its dysfunction is implicated in various chronic disorders. Current pharmacological and neuromodulatory interventions are constrained by limitations such as adverse effects and invasiveness. Acupuncture, a cornerstone of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), demonstrates potential for bidirectionally modulating ANS function, yet systematic evidence remains scarce. Methods A meta-analysis was conducted on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, and CENTRAL databases from their inception until August 1, 2025. Data on baseline characteristics, heart rate variability (HRV) parameters (SDNN, LF, HF, LF/HF), and adverse events were extracted. Analyses were performed using random-effects models. Results Ten RCTs comprising 744 patients were included. Acupuncture significantly improved SDNN. True effect sizes for LF and HF suggested potential differences, but considerable uncertainty was evident. The incidence of adverse events was low, with no serious events reported. Conclusion Acupuncture may confer modest improvements in ANS function, particularly evidenced by SDNN enhancement, and exhibits a favorable safety profile. However, the evidence is constrained by heterogeneity and methodological limitations, necessitating further validation through high-quality studies.

Keywords: Acupuncture, AutonomicNervousSystem, Heartrate variability, Meta-analysis, randomized controlled trial, Safety

Received: 30 Aug 2025; Accepted: 07 Oct 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Ma, Zhang, Du, Wang, Wang, Fu, Wang, Ma and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Tie-ming Ma, matieming999@sohu.com
Wei Zhang, 13504045746@163.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.