Safety and efficacy of Meridian sinew tuina (MST) for post-surgical upper limb lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Wenxia Zhao, Jin Yang, Yufei Hou et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the safety and efficacy of Meridian Sinew Tuina (MST) for post-surgical upper limb lymphedema in breast cancer patients. Fifteen randomized controlled trials involving over 1,100 patients were analyzed. MST significantly reduced upper limb circumference (SMD = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.44 to 1.74; p < 0.0001) and improved clinical response efficacy rates compared to controls.
Key findings
- MST reduced upper limb circumference significantly compared to controls (SMD = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.44 to 1.74).
- The Clinical Response Efficacy Rate favored MST with a relative risk of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.54 to 1.87).
- MST showed improvements in DASH functional scores (SMD = -1.81; 95% CI: -2.11 to -1.51).
- No serious adverse events were reported during the study.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that MST may provide significant benefits in reducing lymphedema and improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors. This could enhance rehabilitation strategies for managing post-surgical complications.
What to keep in mind
The study faced limitations due to unblinded performance bias and variations in control group treatments.