Table 1 Defined inclusion and exclusion criteria
From: Acupuncture as an intervention to reduce alcohol dependency: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Population | Alcohol dependents, inpatients and outpatients. Animal studies excluded |
Intervention | Acupuncture where the needle punctures the skin surface at acupuncture points; either auricular or body |
Control | Sham acupuncture or treatment as usual or other treatment |
Outcomes | Primary measures: alcohol craving and alcohol-withdrawal symptoms Secondary: adverse effects |
Study design | RCTs comparing acupuncture to a control. Restricted to English and Chinese language publications |