Efficacy and Safety of Laser Acupuncture in the Treatment of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests acupuncture may be helpful for pediatric autism; however, needles may be a source of healthcare trauma, so non-needle options should be prioritized. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review (SR) to synthesize the current evidence on the efficacy and safety of laser acupuncture for pediatric autism. METHODS: We searched the following databases from inception until Nov 14, 2024: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, SinoMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure and J-Stage. Randomised controlled trials of laser acupuncture on children up to age 18 years of age with ASD were included. Outcomes were autism symptoms, adverse effects and language development indicators. The PRISMA-A checklist was used to guide conduct and reporting. RESULTS: A total of two trials (n=76) were included. The quality of evidence for most indicators were considered low to very low by GRADE criteria. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity in populations and outcomes. Results suggest acupuncture groups benefited compared to no treatment. There were no adverse effects reported by parents of the participants in either trial. CONCLUSIONS: Two studies indicate benefits of laser acupuncture in children with autism but given the low quality of evidence, results should be regarded with caution. Additional well conducted randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are required to build evidence. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: This protocol is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42024576887.