Objective To analyze the basic characteristics of effects of acupoint application therapy in order to guide clinical decision better.Methods A database on acupoint application therapy was established first by collection

sorting

screening

recording

collation

data extraction

and statistical analyses of the related literature published in recent 60 years

and using modern computer system.Then

its predominant indications and application rules in clinical practice were analyzed using data mining techniques.Results Outcomes of data mining showed that the acupoint application therapy was extensively utilized in the treatment of a variety of diseases or clinical conditions(142 in total) in different clinical departments

particularly in the internal medicine which contains 51 types of clinical conditions or diseases(accounting for 35.92%).Among them

the top 3 are asthma

cough

and abdominal pain

with the appearance frequency being 161

79 and 45 times(=articles) in the domestic journals

respectively.The second one is the paediatric department

containing 30 kinds of diseases or clinical conditions(accounting for 21.13%).Among them

cough(106 articles)

asthma(104 articles) and diarrhoea(82 articles) are frequently seen.The surgery department takes the third place

involving 27 disorders(accounting for 19.01%)

with lumbago-leg pain being the most(31 articles).In the departments of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology

14 types of disorders(accounting for 9.86%) have been reported

with nasosinusitis being the most(56 papers).This therapy has also been used to treat 10 types of gynecopathy(7.04%) and 10 kinds of dermopathy(7.04%)

with dysmenorrhea(37 articles) and shingles(6 articles) being the most.For acupoint application

complex prescriptions of Chinese herbal medicines in the forms of paste and cataplasm are frequently adop-ted

but with fewer application of enhancer of cutaneous penetration.Regarding the utilized acupoint

local points are often chosen.In the light of the collected papers

the highest effective rate is for dermopathy

followed by surgical problems

gynecopathy

paediatric conditions

and disorders of the internal medicine

ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology.Conclusion Acupoint application therapy has been used for 142 kinds of disorders of different clinical departments

with the dominant indications being asthma

cough

abdominal pain

facial paralysis and constipation in the internal medicine

cough

asthma and diarrhoea in the paediatrics

lumbago-leg pain in the surgery

nasosinusitis in the otorhinolaryngology

and dysmenorrhea of gynecopathy.