Variable | N (%) |
Type of study supporting acupuncture recommendations*(n=433) | |
SR or meta-analysis | 135 (31.2) |
RCT or CCT | 250 (57.7) |
Observational studies | 114 (26.3) |
Narrative review | 36 (8.3) |
Expert consensus | 24 (5.5) |
Chinese classic texts/ Textbook | 4 (0.9) |
Not reported | 47 (10.9) |
Recommendations used GRADE to assess thecertainty of evidence (n=314) | |
Comprehensive CPG | 46 (40.7) |
T&CM CPG | 24 (36.3) |
Acupuncture-specific CPG | 244 (96.1) |
Certainty of evidencesupporting recommendations using GRADE (n=314) | |
High | 5 (1.6) |
Moderate | 33 (10.5) |
Low | 105 (33.4) |
Very low | 157 (50.0) |
Not reported | 14 (4.5) |
*One recommendation can contribute to more than one category.
development, and evaluation, CCT, controlled clinical trial; CPG, clinical practice guidelines; GRADE, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation; RCT, randomised controlled trial; SR, systematic review; T&CM, traditional and complementary medicine.