Efficacy and immune-inflammatory mechanism of acupuncture-related therapy in animal models of knee osteoarthritis: a preclinical systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Many KOA patients have not reached indications for surgery, thus we need to find effective non-surgical treatments. Acupuncture is thought to have the potential to modulate inflammation and cytokines in KOA through the immune system. However, the mechanisms have not been elucidated, and there is no network Meta-analysis of acupuncture on KOA animals.