Background: Laser acupuncture (LA)-the use of nonthermal, low-intensity laser irradiation to stimulate acupuncture points-has become more common among acupuncture practitioners in recent years. LA is promoted as a safer pain-free alternative to traditional acupuncture, with minimal adverse effects and greater versatility. However, little is known about the mechanism of action of LA, laser characteristics, and effectiveness of LA therapy. Objective: This concise review of LA describes basic parameters and procedures, potential mechanisms of action, and the current evidence for its clinical efficacy. The article also highlights the need for more robust research on LA that can be translated into evidence-based clinical practices. Conclusions: LA has many features that make it an attractive option as a treatment modality, including minimal sensation; short duration of treatment; and minimal risks of infection, trauma, and bleeding complications. Future studies with high-quality methodologies, ample sample sizes, and consistent and reproducible laser parameters are critically needed to increase understanding and establish potential future clinical applications.

Background and Purpose. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common condition, which threatens the quality of life of older adults. Tai Chi (TC) is growing in popularity among patients with MCI. This study is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and safety of TC in older adults with MCI. Design. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from multiple databases from inception to December 2020 published in English were searched. Two researchers independently performed eligible study screening and data extraction. The methodological quality was assessed with the Jadad score. Meta-analysis of RCTs on TC in the treatment of MCI was performed with RevMan Version 5.4.1. Results. Seven RCTs with 1265 participants were included. For most RCTs, the overall reporting of methodological quality was high. Results of the meta-analysis indicate that TC improved MCI patients’ cognitive function significantly, including overall cognitive function ( MD = − 2.24 , 95% CI -3.51 to -0.97, P = 0.0005 ), memory and learning ( SMD = 0.83 , 95% CI 0.22 to 1.45, P = 0.008 ), visuospatial ability ( MD = 3.15 , 95% CI 0.74 to 5.56, P = 0.01 ), executive functions ( MD = 0.32 , 95% CI 0.03 to 0.61, P = 0.03 ), and physical activity ( MD = 18.78 , 95% CI 10.80 to 26.76, P < 0.00001 ). However, no significant benefit was found for TC on psychological activity ( MD = 0.17 , 95% CI -0.62 to 0.96, P = 0.36 ) and biomarker improvement. Conclusion. The meta-analysis confirmed the clinical therapeutic effect of TC for MCI. More rigorous and long-term follow-up RCTs should be conducted in the future.

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Objective: Laser acupuncture has become increasingly attractive in clinical practice, especially for patients with needle phobias well as elderly people and children. However, literature concerning the safety of laser acupuncture has been limited. This systematic review synthesizes the current available literature on the safety of laser acupuncture. Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, ® Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations Daily, Ovid Embase, Scopus, and EBM Reviews—Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on laser acupuncture. Safety data were extracted from the included studies. Adverse events (AEs) data were extracted and assessed in terms of severity and causality. Results: Of 737 articles, 21 RCTs were included. The majority of these RCTs reported that laser acupuncture was safe, without AEs; 6 trials reported AEs (including tingling, pain flare-ups, and transient fatigue). All AEs were mild and resolved spontaneously within 24 hours. The causal relationship between AEs and laser acupuncture was felt to be “certain” in 4 studies, “probable” in 1 study, and “possible” in 1 study. AEs were collected and monitored by evaluation methods in 7 trials: 5 with AE questionnaires, 1 with a checklist, and 1 with oral reports. Conclusions: Laser acupuncture appears to be a safe therapy associated with few mild and transient AEs. However, given the heterogeneity of current studies, large, well-designed placebo-controlled RCTs with rigorous evaluation methods are needed to assess the safety of laser acupuncture more completely.