Our study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of acupuncture in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Literature search of four Chinese databases and six English databases for studies published from the inception of each database to March 1, 2022 and identify relevant studies published in Chinese or English. Related randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for the treatment of OSAHS were included to analyze the efficacy of acupuncture. Two researchers independently reviewed all of the retrieved studies to screen for eligible studies and extract the required relevant data. Included studies were subjected to a methodological quality assessment using the Cochrane Manual 5.1.0, and to a meta-analysis using Cochrane Review Manager version 5.4. A total of 19 studies with 1365 participants were examined. Compared with the control group, the apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen saturation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and nuclear factor κ-B indicators all exhibited statistically significant changes. Thus, acupuncture was effective in alleviating the state of hypoxia and sleepiness and reduced the inflammatory response and disease severity among reported patients with OSAHS. Therefore, acupuncture could be widely used in the clinical treatment of OSAHS patients as a complementary strategy and warrants further study.acupuncture, complementary and alternative therapies, meta-analysis, obstructive sleep apneahypopnea syndrome, randomized controlled trials | INTRODUCTIONObstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is an increasingly prevalent disorder in which the upper airway is narrowed or closes during sleep, causing hypopnea or apnea. The pathophysiology of OSAHS is multifactorial and includes airway narrowing due to altered upper airway anatomical and functional aspects and increased pharyngeal collapse due to impairment of muscle responsiveness, arousability and respiratory drive (Rajesh et al., 2021). Recent studies have estimated that nearly 1 billion adults worldwide experience OSAHS, with approximately 42% of these individuals affected by moderate to severe OSAHS (Benjafield et al., 2019). Furthermore, about 14.5% of children with sleep-disordered breathing may have severe OSAHS (Bains et al., 2020). Patients often manifest intermittent hypoxia and excessive daytime sleepiness which can lead to fatigue, impaired attention, and an increased risk of accidents.

AimThis study systematically compared the efficacy of various dressings that may prevent facial medical device‐related pressure injury (MRDPI) in medical staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic.BackgroundDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, medical staff who are required to wear masks, goggles and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are susceptible to facial MRDPI, which exacerbates working conditions. Dressings can effectively prevent or alleviate MRDPI, but it is unclear which dressings are most effective.DesignA systematic review and network meta‐analysis, in accordance with PRISMA.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted in four English and four Chinese databases to identify relevant studies published up to 8 September 2022. The selected studies were randomised controlled trials, with populations comprising medical staff who wore PPE during the COVID‐19 pandemic and included an observation and control group.ResultsThe network meta‐analysis of the 12 selected articles showed that foam dressing, hydrocolloid dressing and petrolatum gauze were better than conventional protection for preventing MRDPI. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve indicated that foam dressing was the best preventative.ConclusionFoam dressing is more effective than other dressings in preventing facial MRDPI in medical staff. When PPE must be worn for many hours, such as during the COVID‐19 pandemic, medical staff can use foam dressings to prevent MRDPI.Relevance to clinical practiceThe results support the use of dressings, especially foam dressings, to prevent MRDPI in healthcare workers. The appropriate dressings are recommended to prevent MRDPI associated with wearing PPE.