What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cohort. Population: Ischemic heart disease in people with disabilities (n=76314). Intervention: Acupuncture vs. No acupuncture treatment. Primary outcome: All-cause mortality (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74-0.81).

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to investigate the association between acupuncture exposure and mortality rates in people with disabilities diagnosed with ischemic heart disease.

June 12, 2026BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies0 citationsOpen Access

Association between acupuncture exposure and mortality in people with disabilities diagnosed with ischemic heart disease: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in the Republic of Korea

HJHyungsun JunDongshin University JSJae-Uk SulDongshin University MCMoon Joo CheongWonkwang University Medical Center

Key Result

Acupuncture treatment was associated with a 22% lower hazard of mortality (HR 0.78) compared to no acupuncture in people with disabilities newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease.

Key Points

This research aims to investigate the association between acupuncture exposure and mortality rates in people with disabilities diagnosed with ischemic heart disease.
Retrospective cohort study using the National Health Insurance Service database in Korea.
Participants included people with disabilities newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, followed for three years post-diagnosis.
Propensity score matching was used to balance groups, with survival analysis conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model.
The acupuncture group had a 22% lower hazard of mortality compared to the control group (adjusted HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74–0.81).
In those receiving the highest dose of acupuncture, the mortality hazard was even lower (adjusted HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.62–0.72).
Most subgroups analyzed also indicated a reduced mortality risk among those receiving acupuncture treatment.

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=76,314)

Structured PICO

Does acupuncture treatment reduce all-cause mortality in people with disabilities newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease?

Population

134,249 people with disabilities (PWDs) aged ≥ 19 years newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease (IHD) before propensity score matching (76,314 after PSM). Mean age 67.69-69.39, 39.9-56.2% female. Based in the Republic of Korea.

Intervention

Acupuncture treatment (at least twice within 1 year of being diagnosed with IHD)

Comparator

No acupuncture treatment during the 1 year after the first diagnosis of IHD

Outcome

All-cause mortality monitored from the landmark point (1 year after the first IHD diagnosis) to the date of death or the end of the study (4 years after the first IHD diagnosis)hard clinical

In people with disabilities newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, receiving acupuncture treatment within the first year was associated with a 22% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Main Result

Effect estimate: HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.74-0.81)

Limitations

Observational design cannot establish causality

Abstract

Abstract Background People with disabilities (PWDs) have higher incidence and mortality rates of cardiovascular disease than non-PWDs. Considering the mutual influence of cardiovascular diseases and disabilities, careful observation and complementary management beyond standard treatments are essential when ischemic heart disease (IHD) occurs in PWDs. This study investigated the association between acupuncture treatment and reduced mortality in PWDs diagnosed with IHD. Methods Using a database from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea, PWDs newly diagnosed with IHD were included in this study. Exposure to acupuncture treatment within one year after diagnosis was used to classify participants into the exposure and non-exposure groups, with follow-up for three years or until death. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to adjust for group imbalances, and survival analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality. Dose-response and subgroup analyses were also performed. Results After PSM, 38,157 PWDs were included in each group. The acupuncture group showed a significantly lower hazard of mortality, approximately 22% lower than that of the control group (adjusted HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74–0.81). In the dose-response analysis, the group receiving the highest dose of acupuncture demonstrated the lowest hazard of mortality (adjusted HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.62–0.72). Most subgroups also showed a reduced mortality hazard in the acupuncture-treated groups, with the highest dose group exhibiting the lowest hazard. Conclusion This study is a foundational investigation suggesting that acupuncture treatment is associated with reduced mortality in PWDs diagnosed with IHD. Although future research is needed to establish causality, acupuncture should be considered a beneficial option for managing IHD in PWDs.

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