Analysis on the dominant diseases treated with spreading moxibustion therapy based on randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the indications and dominant diseases of the spreading moxibustion therapy. METHODS: By retrieving 7 databases of both Chinese and English version, such as CNKI, WANFANG, VIP and PubMed, the eligible articles of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treated with spreading moxibustion therapy were collected. The number of annual publications, the number of each disease system, the indications and dominant diseases involved in the related articles were analyzed statistically, as well as the number of cases and the corresponding clinical effective rates. RESULTS: A total of 182 articles were included, including 40 indications for the spreading moxibustion and covering 9 major disease systems. Specially, the indications in the motor system were maximal in number, accounting for 17.50% (7/40) of the total number of indications. The number of indications in the digestive system was on the second top, accounting for 15.00% (6/40). The dominant diseases were mainly distributed in motor system, respiratory system, nervous system and gynecological system. There were 3 dominant diseases in motor system, i.e. ankylosing spondylitis, back pain and rheumatoid arthritis; 1 dominant disease, i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the respiratory system, 1 dominant disease, i.e. primary dysmenorrheal in the gynecological system and 1 dominant disease, i.e. post-stroke paralysis in the nervous system. CONCLUSION: At present, the indications of the spreading moxibustion therapy are widely distributed and the dominant diseases are concentrated, representatively by ankylosing spondylitis. But, the indications and the dominant diseases of spreading moxibustion are changeable dynamically and the disease spectrum of spreading moxibustion needs to be further explored.