gms | German Medical Science

Background: Although intractable hiccups are relatively uncommon, they can seriously affect a patient's quality of life. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating hiccups in patients with cancer.

Methods: Thirteen databases were searched from their inception through to July 2011, without restrictions for language. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included, if acupuncture was used as the sole treatment or as a part of a combination therapy with conventional drugs for hiccups in cancer patients. Studies were included if they compared acupuncture against placebo, drug therapy or no treatment. Cochrane criteria were used to assess the risk of bias.

Results: A total of 5 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. All the included RCTs were associated with a high risk of bias. The majority of studies suggested favorable effects of acupuncture as compared with conventional treatments. A meta-analysis revealed superior response rates for acupuncture as compared with drug therapy (n=126; RR, 1.72; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.31; P=0.0003; I2=0%).

Conclusions: This systematic review provides only very limited evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture compared with drug therapy in treating hiccups. The total number of RCTs included in this review was low, as was their methodological quality. Rigorous RCTs will be necessary in the future to test the efficacy of acupuncture for treating hiccups in cancer patients.

Implications for guideline developers, users: Cancer patients suffering from hiccups acupuncture is safe and useful procedure in intractable hiccups who do not effected in hiccups medications.