Electroacupuncture for the Prevention of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder in Older Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Researchers are planning a comprehensive study to investigate whether electroacupuncture—a technique that combines traditional acupuncture with mild electrical stimulation—can help prevent cognitive problems in older adults after surgery. Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a common complication affecting memory, thinking, and mental clarity in older patients who undergo surgery with general anesthesia. This condition can significantly impact quality of life and independence, making prevention strategies critically important.

The research team will search through eight major medical databases and three clinical trial registries to find all relevant studies published through March 2025. They're specifically looking for randomized controlled trials that tested electroacupuncture in patients aged 60 and older who had surgery under general anesthesia. The researchers will analyze multiple outcomes, including rates of cognitive problems, scores on mental function tests like the Mini-Mental State Examination, and levels of inflammation and brain injury markers in the blood. They'll also carefully evaluate safety information about any side effects.

This study is actually a protocol—meaning it's a detailed plan for conducting a systematic review rather than presenting final results. The research team is currently collecting and analyzing data, with results expected in March 2026. Once completed, this review will provide important evidence about whether electroacupuncture is effective and safe for preventing thinking and memory problems after surgery in older adults. The findings will help patients and doctors make more informed decisions about using this complementary therapy as part of surgical care. If you're considering acupuncture for any health condition, always seek treatment from a licensed acupuncturist with appropriate credentials and experience.

This systematic review protocol outlines a comprehensive evaluation of electroacupuncture for perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) prevention in older surgical patients (≥60 years) undergoing general anesthesia. The methodology includes searching eight databases and three clinical trial registries through March 2025 for randomized controlled trials. Primary outcome: PND incidence. Secondary outcomes include neuropsychological assessments (MMSE, MoCA), inflammatory biomarkers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), neurological damage markers (NSE, S100β), and adverse events. Two independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the revised Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan 5.4 with heterogeneity-appropriate models. Evidence certainty will be graded using GRADE methodology. This protocol represents the planning phase of an evidence synthesis project, with data analysis scheduled for early 2026 and publication expected March 2026. The review will provide critical evidence for perioperative electroacupuncture protocols and identify research gaps in this emerging application area.