Efficacy of auricular therapy for smoking cessation: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
- 1Department of Nursing Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Zhongshan China
- 2Accounting School, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies Guangzhou China
Abstract
Introduction: Tobacco dependence is a chronic disease that increases the risk of multiple diseases. Auricular therapy offers a promising non-pharmacological cessation approach, yet the comparative efficacy of its specific modalities remains unclear.
Methods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted within a frequentist framework. The exposure was auricular therapy. The outcomes included exhaled carbon monoxide levels, daily cigarette consumption, smoking cessation rates, nicotine dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Eight databases were searched from inception to 5 February 2026. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Interventions were compared using league tables of effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals and relative rankings were estimated using surface under the cumulative ranking curve probabilities.
Results: Thirty-six RCTs involving 3608 participants and 14 interventions were included. Compared with placebo/minimal intervention, auricular acupressure significantly reduced exhaled carbon monoxide (mean difference, MD= -4.67; 95% CI: -6.03 – -3.30), daily cigarette consumption (MD= -6.35; 95% CI: -11.41 – -1.30), nicotine dependence (MD= -2.49; 95% CI: -4.07 – -0.91) and withdrawal symptoms (MD= -6.70; 95% CI: -9.68 – -3.71), and significantly increased smoking cessation rates (OR =4.97; 95% CI: 2.65–9.30). Body/auricular acupuncture+ aromatherapy significantly reduced daily cigarette consumption (MD= -7.64; 95% CI: -15.15 – -0.12) and nicotine dependence (MD= -2.93; 95% CI: -5.53 – -0.33). Laser auricular acupuncture showed the highest point estimate for cessation (OR=7.15; 95% CI: 3.11–16.45). No statistically significant differences were detected between auricular therapies and standard pharmacotherapy.
Conclusions: Auricular acupressure was the intervention associated with significant benefits across five outcomes. While these findings suggest the potential of auricular therapies as non-pharmacological alternatives, most comparisons relied on indirect evidence and several top-ranked interventions were supported by limited data. Direct head-to-head trials are needed to confirm these observations.
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BibTeX
@article{ou2026efficacy,
title = {{Efficacy of auricular therapy for smoking cessation: A systematic review and network meta-analysis}},
author = {Yixuan Ou and Zhongci Zhong and Junming Xuan and Xiaoqiao Qiu and Yingqi She and Zhi Li and Lijuan Dong},
journal = {Tobacco Induced Diseases},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.18332/tid/226712},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/226712},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Efficacy of auricular therapy for smoking cessation: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
AU - Yixuan Ou
AU - Zhongci Zhong
AU - Junming Xuan
AU - Xiaoqiao Qiu
AU - Yingqi She
AU - Zhi Li
AU - Lijuan Dong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Tobacco Induced Diseases
DO - 10.18332/tid/226712
UR - https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/226712
AB - Introduction: Tobacco dependence is a chronic disease that increases the risk of multiple diseases. Auricular therapy offers a promising non-pharmacological cessation approach, yet the comparative efficacy of its specific modalities remains unclear. Methods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted within a frequentist framework. The exposure was auricular therapy. The outcomes included exhaled carbon monoxide levels, daily cigarette consumption, smoking cessation rates, nicotine dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Eight databases were searched from inception to 5 February 2026. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Interventions were compared using league tables of effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals and relative rankings were estimated using surface under the cumulative ranking curve probabilities. Results: Thirty-six RCTs involving 3608 participants and 14 interventions were included. Compared with placebo/minimal intervention, auricular acupressure significantly reduced exhaled carbon monoxide (mean difference, MD= -4.67; 95% CI: -6.03 – -3.30), daily cigarette consumption (MD= -6.35; 95% CI: -11.41 – -1.30), nicotine dependence (MD= -2.49; 95% CI: -4.07 – -0.91) and withdrawal symptoms (MD= -6.70; 95% CI: -9.68 – -3.71), and significantly increased smoking cessation rates (OR =4.97; 95% CI: 2.65–9.30). Body/auricular acupuncture+ aromatherapy significantly reduced daily cigarette consumption (MD= -7.64; 95% CI: -15.15 – -0.12) and nicotine dependence (MD= -2.93; 95% CI: -5.53 – -0.33). Laser auricular acupuncture showed the highest point estimate for cessation (OR=7.15; 95% CI: 3.11–16.45). No statistically significant differences were detected between auricular therapies and standard pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: Auricular acupressure was the intervention associated with significant benefits across five outcomes. While these findings suggest the potential of auricular therapies as non-pharmacological alternatives, most comparisons relied on indirect evidence and several top-ranked interventions were supported by limited data. Direct head-to-head trials are needed to confirm these observations.
SN - 2070-7266
SN - 1617-9625
ER -