Moxibustion for depression: A meta-analysis

Moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, is widely used for various diseases and has recently been applied in treating depression. This study aims to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of moxibustion, either alone or in combination with other therapies, for depression.

We conducted a comprehensive search across 7 databases from their inception to December 20, 2023, focusing on randomized controlled trials that compared moxibustion with sham treatments, no treatment, or conventional therapies. The primary outcomes were the overall effective rate and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores, with adverse reaction incidence as the secondary outcome. Data were analyzed with RevMan 5.4 and Stata 18, with bias risk assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Evidence quality was graded with GRADEpro.