effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review

Background: acupuncture is increasingly recognized for its efficacy in managing knee osteoarthritis (koa), offering significant pain relief and functional improvements.aim: this systematic review was conducted with aim to summarize the studies on reporting the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in koa patients.method: this quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 diabetic patients in fars province, iran in 2023-2024. participants were randomly assigned to the control and intervention groups. the intervention group received dignity therapy in three sessions over 10 days. dignity and fasting blood sugar levels were assessed before, immediately after, and one month following the intervention by patient dignity inventory (pdi) and fasting blood sugar (fbs) check list.  data were analyzed using spss software (version 15) and descriptive statistics, independent tests and one single repeated measures anova. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.results: the studies consistently demonstrated that various forms of acupuncture therapy significantly reduce pain (p=0.001-0.008) and enhance functional outcomes (p=0.001-0.027) among koa patients. pain relief was evaluated using the visual analogue scale, while functional improvements were assessed through womac scores. secondary outcome, including quality of life measured by sf-12 and aqol-sf36 scales, also showed significant improvement (p=0.001-0.057).implications for practice: healthcare providers are encouraged to consider patient preferences and treatment goals when recommending acupuncture, ensuring personalized care that addresses both symptomatic relief and functional recovery. further research and clinical integration of acupuncture are pivotal in advancing treatment options for osteoarthritis, promoting improved outcomes and patient well-being.