The Intervention Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis and GRADE Evaluation Study

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) represents a distinctive manifestation of sub-health conditions encompassing a group of chronic, persistent, and disabling clinical symptoms of unknown etiology. Patients exhibit fatigue, sleep disturbances, poor immune function, and symptoms persist for more than six months, accompanied by low-grade fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain, and a range of non-specific neuropsychiatric symptoms. Epidemiological studies indicate that the overall prevalence of CFS in China has been increasing annually, reaching 12.54% in 2020, and showing a trend towards younger demographics. This condition is most prevalent among individuals aged 20 to 50, affecting not only their physical health but also exerting a certain impact on the nation's economy and social development, thereby garnering widespread societal attention. However, Western medicine has yet to elucidate the pathogenesis of CFS, and there are no effective clinical treatment methods for this syndrome. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), CFS is classified under the categories of "deficiency and damage," "depression," and "consumptive disease," with the onset of the disease closely related to impaired Qi flow, insufficient spleen Qi, heat transformation into phlegm, deficiency of blood in the heart, obstruction of Qi and blood circulation, and impaired fluid metabolism, leading to Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Currently, TCM demonstrates certain advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of CFS, including auricular therapy and auricular plaster therapy, which have a clinical basis and research for the treatment of CFS and have shown promising therapeutic effects. Auricular plaster therapy, guided by TCM's syndrome differentiation and treatment principles, stimulates specific areas of the ear that are associated with the limbs, trunk, and viscera, thereby dredging meridians and enhancing the functions of pain relief, calming the spirit, and regulating the Qi and blood functions of the viscera and cerebrovascular system . This approach aims to balance Yin and Yang, thereby improving patients' symptoms, preventing and treating diseases, and achieving the desired therapeutic goals.This study analyzes and evaluates the published literature on auricular plaster therapy for the treatment of CFS from eight major domestic and international literature databases, aiming to provide more reliable evidence-based medical evidence for the research and application of auricular plaster therapy in the clinical treatment of CFS.