Skin Temperature of Acupoints in Health and Primary Dysmenorrhea Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: Dysmenorrhea is a common clinical condition and some studies shown that the skin temperature of some acupoints changes in primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in skin temperature at specific acupoints in PD patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: The literature for assessing skin temperature at acupoints in PD patients and healthy subjects was searched in eight databases. The literatures obtained from the search was independently screened by two authors, and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the consensus checklist of the Thermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM) and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) scale. The skin temperature of the relevant acupoints or the difference between the left and right acupoints of the same name was used as the outcome during any period of menstruation. Finally, the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software to evaluate the changes in skin temperature in the related acupoints. RESULTS: Seven eligible studies were included, which included 328 patients with PD and 279 healthy subjects. The results of the meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in skin temperature around the Sanyinjiao (SP6)(MD: 0.04, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.08), Xuehai (SP 10)(MD: −0.07, 95% CI:-0.11, −0.02) and Taixi (KI 3)(MD: 0.06, 95% CI:0.01, 0.11) acupoints between PD and healthy subjects. PD patients also showed a difference in skin temperature at the Taixi (KI 3)(MD: 0.14, 95% CI:0.04, 0.24), Shuiquan (KI 5)(MD: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03,0.19), Taichong (LR 3)(MD: −0.10, 95% CI: −0.19,-0.01), Diji (SP 8)(MD: −0.09, 95% CI: −0.16, −0.01), and Xuehai (SP 10)(MD: −0.14, 95% CI: −0.23, −0.06) acupoint areas at different times of menstruation compared to that of healthy subjects, as revealed by the subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION: Primary dysmenorrhea patients showed some differences in the skin temperature of the special acupoints are as Sanyinjiao (SP6), Diji (SP 8), Xuehai (SP 10), Shuiquan (KI 5), Taichong (LR 3), and Taixi (KI 3) compared with healthy subjects. REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022381387.