Acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:This review will assess current evidence related to the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for functional constipation (FC) and provide efficacy assessments for clinical applications.Methods:We will search the following databases for relevant trials: PubMed, EMBASE OVID, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, OVID MEDLINE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane library, and Scopus. We will also search the following Chinese databases for trials published in the Chinese literature: China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database, Wan Fang Database, Chinese Biomedicine and other resources from inception to December 2020. Only randomized controlled trials comparing acupoint catgut embedding versus acupuncture or sham acupuncture or placebo or other therapies will be included. The outcomes involved mean spontaneous bowel movements, complete spontaneous bowel movements, the Bristol Stool Form Scale, the Cleveland Clinic Score, Patient Assessment of Constipation symptom and so on. The risk of bias assessment and quality of evidence for outcomes will be appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines. RevMan 5.3 software will be employed for the meta-analysis.Results:This work will compare and arrange the comparative efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding with different treatments for FC by summarizing the current evidences.Conclusion:The results of this meta-analysis may help doctors determine the best treatments for patients to manage FC.Ethics and dissemination:This is a protocol with no patient recruitment and personal information collection, approval by the ethics committee is not required.OSF Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/XTKE2.     

Does patient's expectation benefit acupuncture treatment?: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Patients’ expectation to treatment response is one source of placebo effects. A number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported that expectation benefits to acupuncture treatment, while some did not. Previous systematic reviews failed to draw a confirmative conclusion due to the methodological heterogeneity. It is necessary to conduct a new systematic review to find out whether expectation can influence acupuncture outcomes.Methods:We systematically search English and Chinese databases from their inception to 3rd October, 2020, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP). RCTs that evaluated the relationship between expectation and treatment response following acupuncture for adults will be included. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be conducted independently. Risk of bias will be assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Data synthesis will be performed by Review Manager (RevMan) software if the data is suitable for synthesis.Results:This systematic review will provide evidence that whether patients’ expectation impacts on the therapeutic effects of acupuncture. This protocol will be performed and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items from Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. The findings of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Conclusion:This systematic review aims to assess whether a higher level of patient''s expectation contributes to a better outcome after acupuncture treatment, and in which medical condition this contribution will be more significant.INPLASY registration number:INPLASY2020100020 on International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols.     

The effectiveness and safety of Sun tip-flexible ureterorenoscope for the management of kidney stones: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction:Kidney stone is one of the urinary system diseases with a high incidence. In this study, we will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Sun tip-flexible ureterorenoscope treating patients with kidney stone.Methods and analysis:English and Chinese literature about Sun tip-flexible ureterorenoscope treatment for kidney stones published before October 31, 2020 will be systematic searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Open Grey, Clinicaltrials.gov, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, WANFANG, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, CNKI, Chinese biomedical document service system (SinoMed). Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with kidney stones will be included. Literature screening, data extraction, and the assessment of risk of bias will be independently conducted by 2 reviewers, and the 3rd reviewer will be consulted if any different opinions existed. Systematic review and meta-analysis will be produced by RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0. This protocol reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement, and we will report the systematic review by following the PRISMA statement.Results:The current study is a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis without results, and data analysis will be carried out after the protocol. We will share our findings in the fourth quarter of 2021.Conclusion:This study will provide recommendations for the effectiveness and safety of Sun tip-flexible ureterorenoscope for patients with kidney stones (KS), which may help to guide clinician.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is not required as the review is a secondary study based on published literature. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed publications and disseminated electronically or in print.Protocol registration number:INPLASY2020110099     

Curative effects of traditional Chinese medicine on liver fibrosis: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Assessing the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine on liver fibrosis is the main purpose of this systematic review protocol.Methods:The following electronic databases will be searched from their respective inception dates to 1st December 2021: PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase, WorldSciNet, Ovid, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, the Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, the Wanfang Database, and the China Biology Medicine Disc. All published randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese related to curative effects of Traditional Chinese medicine on liver fibrosis will be included. The primary outcome is the levels of serum hyaluronic acid, laminin, type III procollagen, and type IV procollagen. There is no secondary outcomes. Two reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction, and assessment independently. The assessment of risk of bias and data synthesis will be conducted with Review Manager Software V.5.2.Results:The results will provide a high-quality synthesis of current evidence for researchers in this subject area.Conclusion:The conclusion of our study will provide an evidence to judge whether traditional Chinese medicine is an effective intervention for patients with liver fibrosis.Registration number:INPLASY202110017     

Clinical efficacy of Qi Di laxative decoction in the treatment of functional constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by slow bowel movement and defecation difficulties, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life and exerting heavy financial burden to whole society. However, more than 50% FC patients are not completely satisfied with current therapies and alternative therapies are urgently required. Increasing evidences have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine has a good therapeutic effect on FC, which is well known for its multitarget and multimode effects on diverse diseases as well as less side effects. Furthermore, studies proved that Qi Di Laxative Decoction was an effective treatment for FC. Its safety and effectiveness should be verified by further studies.Methods:We will search the following electronic databases for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Qi Di Laxative Decoction in treating FC: Wanfang and Pubmed Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Excerpta Medica database. Each database will be searched from inception to November 2020. The entire process will include study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and meta-analyses.Results:This proposed study will evaluate the clinical efficacy of Qi Di Laxative Decoction for patients with FC. The outcomes will include changes in FC relief and adverse effect.Conclusion:This proposed systematic review will evaluate the existing evidence on the clinical efficacy of Qi Di Laxative Decoction in treating FC.Dissemination and ethics:The results of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication. Because all of the data used in this systematic review and meta-analysis has been published, this review does not require ethical approval. Furthermore, all data will be analyzed anonymously during the review process.OSF Registration Number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/M2ESR     

Effectiveness and safety of warm needle acupuncture for sciatica: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Sciatica is a syndrome characterized by sciatic nerve path and distribution area pain. Many kinds of literature reported the definite effect of warm needle acupuncture (WNA) on sciatica. However, there is no systematic review or meta-analysis on WNA for sciatica. Therefore, this study will design a protocol to comprehensively and systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of WNA on sciatica.Methods:The two researchers in this study will search the electronic database for randomized controlled trials, (RCTs) of WNA on sciatica, The databases we will search include PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, and Chinese biomedical literature database (CBM). Review Manager 5.4 software and Cochrane risk bias tool will be us used for data analysis and to evaluate research quality. The main clinical indicators will include visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).Results:This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of WNA for sciatica.Conclusion:This study will provide a reliable scheme for objectively and comprehensively evaluating the efficacy and safety of WNA on sciatica.Trial registration number:INPLASY2020110074     

Traditional Chinese medicine for irritable bowel syndrome: A protocol for meta-analysis

Background:Irritable bowel syndrom (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder which is characterized as recurrent abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and abnormal bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation, both or alternate appear. Although IBS is not fatal, it seriously affects the patients’ daily life and work. Western drug, such as antidiarrheals, gastrointestinal antispasmodic, often cannot get satisfying curative effects. However, the therapeutic effect of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on IBS is very satisfactory which was shown in a large number of randomized controlled trials. Although TCM has been widely used in clinical practice, its relative effectiveness and safety have not been confirmed. Therefore, this study will use meta-analysis to verify the efficacy and safety of different types of TCM in the treatment of IBS.Methods:We search the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library for all randomized controlled trial of TCM for the treatment of IBS from their inception to Oct 15, 2020. Two authors will independently select studies, extract data based on predesigned inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality assessment and risk of bias will be assessed using Cochrane bias risk tool. All data analysis will be conducted using Revman5.3, WinBUGS 1.4.3, and Stata14.2 software.Results:This study will compare the different outcome indicators of various studies directly and indirectly, and provide a high-quality synthesis of effectiveness and safety of different TCM methods for patients with IBS. The main outcome indicators include effectiveness, remission rate (no drug symptoms), relapse rate, clinical absolute score, and relative score. Secondary outcome indicators included related adverse reactions and serum serotonin concentration.Conclusion:The conclusion of this systematic review will provide a high-quality evidence based on the efficacy and safety of different TCM treatment methods for IBS.Registration number:This study protocol has been funded through a protocol registry. The registry number is INPLASY2020100052     

Internal treatment in traditional Chinese medicine for patients with COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The safety and effectiveness of Internal Treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the main subject of this protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods:The following online databases will be searched from inception to April 2020: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wan-Fang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database. All published randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese related to Internal Treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine for COVID-19 will be included. Primary outcomes are time of disappearance of main symptoms and serum cytokine levels. Secondary outcomes is Accompanying symptoms disappear rate, negative COVID-19 results rate on 2 consecutive occasions CT image improvement, average hospitalization time, occurrence rate of common type to severe form, clinical cure rate, and mortality. Two reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction, and assessment independently. The assessment of risk of bias and data synthesis will be conducted with Review Manager Software V.5.2.Results:The results will provide a high-quality synthesis of current evidence for researchers in this subject area.Conclusion:The conclusion of our study will provide evidence to judge whether the internal treatment in traditional Chinese medicine is an effective intervention for COVID-19 patients.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42020180178.     

External treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for constipation after thoracolumbar compression fractures: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Constipation is one of the common complications of thoracolumbar compression fractures, which seriously affects the quality of life and increases pain of patients. External treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used clinically for constipation after thoracolumbar compression fractures, but there are no systematic review and meta-analysis of its efficacy. Therefore, we will conduct this study to systematically evaluate the clinical effects of external treatment of TCM for patients with constipation after thoracolumbar compression fractures.Methods:We will search the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang Database. Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of constipation after thoracolumbar compression fractures with external treatment of TCM published from inception to May 2021 will be included in the search scope. The observation group was treated with Simple external treatment of TCM (such as external application of Chinese medicine, Chinese drugs at the acupoint, acupuncture, moxibustion, etc) or external treatment of TCM combined with conventional treatment/nursing of Western medicine, while the control group only was treated by conventional treatment/nursing of Western medicine. After screening literatures, extracting data, and assessing the risk of bias in the included studies, meta-analysis will be performed by Revman 5.3 software.Results:This study is expected to provide an evidence of the efficacy of external treatment of TCM for constipation after thoracolumbar compression fractures.Conclusion:The results of this meta-analysis may help provide evidence to determine whether external treatment of TCM can be effective interventions for thoracolumbar compression fractures patients with constipation.Trial registration number:INPLASY202150005     

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of a traditional Chinese medicine prescription,modified RunChang-Tang,in treating functional constipation

Background:Modified Runchang-Tang (MRCT), a Chinese herbal medicine, is widely used to treat functional constipation (FC), which is a common digestive system disease. However, its efficacy has not been evaluated systematically and objectively. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of MRCT for treating functional constipation.Methods:We searched for relevant publications from Embase, Medline, The Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, and Wanfang Data for relevant literature. The timeframe of retrieval was set from the founding date of each database to July 15, 2020.Result:A total of 26 randomized controlled trials with 2103 individuals were included in this meta-analysis. All trials were conducted in mainland China and were written in Chinese. The results showed that MRCT monotherapy provided better symptom relief in FC patients compared to prokinetic agent monotherapy (odds ratio, [OR] = 4.06), osmotic laxatives (OR = 4.39) and stimulant laxatives (OR = 2.99). Additionally, there were no obvious adverse effects in MRCT group compared with control group.Conclusion:MRCT treatment is an efficient and safe treatment for FC. However, considering the limitations of this study, further well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to validate this conclusion.     

Preventive effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine mouthwash in chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

Background:Oral mucositis (OM), one of the most common side effects for cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy, can cause severe impairment to patients’ functional ability and impact their quality of life, resulting in delayed and/or incomplete treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine offers empirical herbal decoctions to gargle for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced OM; however, evidence for its clinical efficacy and safety is lacking. Therefore, we provide a protocol to evaluate the preventive effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine mouthwash in chemotherapy-induced OM.Methods:We will comprehensively retrieve relevant articles published till August 15, 2020, in the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, and the Wan-fang Database. Only randomized controlled trials will be included. We will use the criteria provided by the Cochrane Handbook for quality assessment and risk assessment of the included studies and use the RevMan 5.3 software for meta-analysis of the preventive effect and safety.Results:This study will assess the preventive effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine mouthwash in chemotherapy-induced OM.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide evidence-based medical corroboration for the clinical application of the Chinese herbal medicine mouthwash in chemotherapy-induced OM.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42020206614.     

The effect of trifluridine/tipiracil for patients with heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Gastric cancer is a global health problem with high incidence rate and mortality rate. Due to the limitations of traditional chemotherapy drugs, such as patient intolerance, low efficacies and serious adverse effects, trifluridine/tipiracil has been considered to be a promising treatment for patients with heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer. However, the relevant systematic review has not been occurring. The presentation of this protocol is to scientifically evaluate the efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil in patients with highly pretreated metastatic gastric cancer.Methods:The protocol followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. We will systematically search MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Wan Fang Database up to November 1, 2020 to identify published articles. Using the Cochrane risk assessment tool to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs, and all included studies will be analyzed according to the criteria in the Cochrane Handbook. Review Manager 5.3 software will be used for literature quality evaluation and data analysis.Results:Objective to evaluate the efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer by analyzing the eligible data extracted under limited conditions.Conclusion:This study provides clear evidence to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil for patients with highly pretreated metastatic gastric cancer, and the findings will also be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Ethics and dissemination:No ethical statement will be required for this study because there is no direct involvement of human. This review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal as a conference report or an article.Registration:OSF registration number: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/6MF5U.     

Ranolazine in the prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation: A protocol for meta-analysis

Background:Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in clinical practice. This study aims to determine the ranolazine for prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation.Method:This study adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis for Protocols. Chinese electronic Database (CBM, Wanfang, and CNKI) and international electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) will be searched for all relevant published articles. We will apply no language or the year of publication restrictions. Study selection, data collection, and assessment of study bias will be conducted independently by a pair of independent reviewers. The Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool will be used for the risk of bias assessment. The quality of evidence will be evaluated by Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The statistical analysis of this meta-analysis will be calculated by Review manager version 5.3.Results:The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusion:This review will evaluate the value of ranolazine interventions for patients with AF, and provide meaningful conclusions or high-level evidence for clinical practice and further research.Trial registration:This study protocol was registered in open Science framework (OSF), (Registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/T6W9Q).     

Value of anti-hepatitis B virus in serum tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay 3 in diagnosis of hepatitis B: A protocol for systemic review and meta analysis

Introduction:This protocol is for a meta analysis that aims to systematically review the diagnostic value of anti-hepatitis B virus in serum tested by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in patients with hepatitis B.Methods and analysis:The following electronic databases will be searched from inception to Mar 2021: PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Springer, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Wanfang Database. All study about enzyme linked immunosorbent assay reagents have been published at home and abroad to diagnose hepatitis B virus will be included. MetaDisc 1.4 soft will used to calculate pooled effect size in sensitivity, specifi city, likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio and summary receiver operating characteristic curve, and area under the curve as well.Ethics and dissemination:Formal ethical approval is not required, as the data are not individualized. The findings of this systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed publication and/or presented at relevant conferences.Registration number:INPLASY2020100051.     

Acupuncture for opioid-induced constipation: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is one of the most common complications of analgesic therapy for cancer pain patients who suffer moderate to severe pain. Acupuncture as an effective treatment in constipation has been widely applied. But its efficacy has not been assessed systematically. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide a protocol to explore the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for OIC.Methods:Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of acupuncture treatment for OIC in 4 Chinese electronic databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biological and Medical Database, China Scientific Journal Database, Wan-Fang Data) and 3 English electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library) will be searched from their inception to September 31, 2020. RevMan 5.3 software and Stata 14.0 software will be used for meta-analysis, EndNote X9.2 and Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool will be used for literature screening and quality assessment.Results:This study will present an assessment of the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for OIC patients through summarize high-quality clinical evidence.Conclusion:The conclusion of our systematic review and meta-analysis may provide evidence of whether acupuncture treatment is beneficial to patients with OIC.INPLASY registration number: INPLASY2020100026.     

Traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiaoqinglong decoction for cough caused by COVID-19: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Assessing the effectiveness and safety of Traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiaoqinglong decoction for cough caused by COVID-19 is the main purpose of this systematic review protocol.Methods:The following electronic databases will be searched from their respective inception dates to October 1, 2020: PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase, WorldSciNet, Ovid, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, the Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), the Wanfang Database, and the China Biology Medicine Disc. All published randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese related to Traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiaoqinglong decoction for cough caused by COVID-19 will be included. The primary outcome is the time and rate of appearance of coughing. The secondary outcomes are the length of hospital stay. Two reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction, and assessment independently. The assessment of risk of bias and data synthesis will be conducted with RevMan V.5.2.Results:The results will provide a high-quality synthesis of current evidence for researchers in this subject area.Conclusion:The conclusion of our study will provide an evidence to judge whether traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiaoqinglong decoction is an effective intervention for patients with cough caused by COVID-19.Ethics and dissemination:Formal ethical approval is not necessary as the data cannot be individualized. The results of this protocol will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at relevant conferences.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42020202079.     

Effect of bilevel continuous positive airway pressure for patients with type II respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of COPD: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The purpose of this study is to determine the therapeutic efficacy of bi-level continuous positive airway pressure (BIPAP) intervention in patients with type II respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:This review will only include randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The search strategy will be applied to 4 Chinese databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed); and 5 foreign literature databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Springer, EBSCO, and Web of Science. RCTs published from inception to October 2020 will be included. The 2 researchers will independently screen and extract the data and assess quality. The main results obtained through blood gas analysis and equipment observation, heterogeneity assessment, sensitivity analysis, funnel chart synthesis, data synthesis, and grouping analysis will be carried out using Review Manager 5.4 software. The trial sequential analysis will be completed using TSA v0.9 developed by the CTU at the Copenhagen Clinical Trial Center.Results:In the current meta-analysis, we will provide more practical and targeted results for the therapeutic efficacy of BIPAP in patients with type II respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of COPD.Conclusion:This study will provide new evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of BIPAP in patients with type II respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of COPD.Registration number:INPLASY2020110003 (DOI:10.37766/inplasy2020.11.0003).     

Is acupuncture effective and safe for prophylaxis of vestibular migraine?: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

Background:Increasing studies indicate that acupuncture can be used for treating vestibular migraine (VM), but current evidence remains inconclusive. Thus, this protocol aims to evaluate the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for VM prophylaxis by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods:Studies will be retrieved by searching electronic databases from their inception to December 2020, including EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP). Eligible randomized controlled trials involving acupuncture for VM prophylaxis will be included. Study screening, data collection, and assessment for risk of bias will be executed by 2 independent reviewers. Meta-analyses will be conducted, followed by subgroup analysis if significant heterogeneity is detected. Sensitivity analysis and summary of the strength of the evidence will also be performed.Results:The results of the present systematic review and meta-analysis will verify the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for VM prophylaxis.Conclusion:This review will determine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on VM prophylaxis. The findings are expected to verified whether acupuncture can be an alternative treatment for VM prophylaxis.Ethics and dissemination:Given that a systematic review and meta-analysis will not involve private information of individuals, ethical approval is not required. Relevant results and findings will be submitted to an academic journal for peer reviews.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42020202588.