Cupping for neurodermatitis: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Neurodermatitis is a common inflammatory and allergic disease, characterized by itching and lichenification plaque. Some studies have reported cupping therapy (CT) for the treatment of neurodermatitis. However, the effectiveness and safety are still uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CT for the treatment of patients with neurodermatitis. METHODS: We will retrieve the following electronic databases systematically: Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang database from their inception to December 2020. Other literature resources will be manually searched. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials (q-RCTs) on the topic will be retrieved by 2 investigators independently. We will apply a fixed-effect model or random effect model basis on the heterogeneity test and employ with RevMan 5.3 software for data synthesis. The total clinical effective rate will be selected as the primary outcome, skin disease quality of life index score, recurrence rate, and adverse events as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: This study will comprehensively summarize the high-quality trials to determine the efficacy and safety of CT for the treatment of patients with neurodermatitis. CONCLUSION: Our systematic review will present evidence for the efficacy and safety of CT to neurodermatitis patients. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/6DCM3.