자폐에 대한 수기요법 임상적용 현황분석

The Analysis of Clinical Application Status of Manual Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objectives This study aimed to analyze the clinical application of manual therapy (including Chuna) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Methods We utilized worldwide databases and identified studies by pre-defined criteria. Then we analyzed the characteristic of included studies and investigated the efficacy and safety (adverse events) of manual therapy. Results Total of 27 studies in five countries (including 23 randomized controlled tri- als) were included. Regarding the intervention in experimental group, 22 studies con- ducted the massage on the some body parts, acupuncture point or meridian. However, in control group, diverse interventions including applied behavior analysis, sensory integration, language or occupational therapy, and acupuncture treatment were conducted. For this reason, we classified the 27 included studies into 4 catego- ries according to monotherapy & combination treatment and add-on type. In 4 cate- gories, we confirmed the therapeutic effects of manual therapy and low incidence of adverse events. Conclusions In this study, we could identify the therapeutic possibility of manual therapy for the ASD. However, the extreme diversity in control intervention, subject types, and outcome measures limits the ability to induce clear conclusion. Further re- searches related to ASD would be needed.