Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Urinary Retention: A Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Characteristics of included studies.

Study	Country	Experimental design	Type of urine retention	Experimental group				Acupoint	Stimulus parameter
				Sample size	Age (years)	Sex (male/female)	Intervening measure		Stimulus	Time (min)	Frequency (n/day)
Xu-Dong Gu, 2015	China	RCT, 3 arms	SCI induced urinary retention	34	39.6 ± 7.6	1/4	EA + CIC	BL31–34	Pulse frequency of 20 Hz	20	1
Yangyuxia, 2017	China	RCT, 2 arms	Post-stroke urinary retention	32	60 ± 10	20/12	Acupuncture + conventional therapy	Twelve well-points	Shallow insertion	—	1
Baofengfeng, 2010	China	RCT, 2 arms	Postpartum urinary retention	26	21–37^#	0/26	Acupuncture + TDP	RN3–4, ST36, SP6, KI3, BL22–23, BL39	Acupuncture manipulation	20	1
Chinning, 2008	China	RCT, 2 arms	Urine retention after surgery	93	40.5	27/66	EA + clipping of the urine tube	RN3, SP9, ST36	Patient tolerance	30	1
Chenxujun, 2012	China	RCT, 2 arms	Postpartum urinary retention	33	20–36^#	0/33	EA	RN3, RN6, ST27–28	2/100 Hz	30	1
Chenxuenong, 2006	China	RCT, 2 arms	Urine storage after cervical cancer surgery	30	35–69^#	0/30	EA	ST28, BL28, BL32, SP6, SP8	3.3 Hz	30	2
Chenyanling, 2007	China	RCT, 2 arms	Postpartum urinary retention	40	21–34^#	0/40	EA	RN2–3, SP6, ST36	2 Hz	30	1–2
Fangmei, 2014	China	RCT, 2 arms	Urine retention after hemorrhoid surgery	50	20–60^#	20/30	Acupuncture	RN3, SP6, SP10	Acupuncture manipulation	15	1
Huanglan, 2006	China	RCT, 2 arms	Urine retention after intraspinal anesthesia	34	—	—	Acupuncture	ST36, SP6, RN3–4	Acupuncture manipulation	15–20	—
Liuyanling, 2017	China	RCT, 2 arms	Prostatic hyperplastic urine retention	39	60 ± 12	39/0	EA	BL23, BL28, BL32–33, RN4, RN6, SP6, SP9, KI10, KI6	Patient tolerance	15–20	1
Wangdaojun, 2008	China	RCT, 2 arms	Postpartum urinary retention	42	18–35^#	0/42	Acupuncture	PC6, RN4, LI4, LR3, LR10–11, SP6	Acupuncture manipulation	30	2
Yinhongbo, 2007	China	RCT, 2 arms	Postoperative non-obstructive urinary retention	30	16–67^#	—	Acupuncture	RN3, BL32, ST28, SP6, SP9	Acupuncture manipulation	20	1
Study				Control group				Outcome		Measurement timepoint (days)
				Sample size	Age (years)	Sex (male/female)	Intervening measure
Xu-dong Gu, 2015				35	40.6 ± 9.8	1/4	CIC	RUV; number of patients with bladder balance		90
				38	40.75 ± 12.5	1/3	Sham acupuncture ± CIC
Yangyuxia, 2017				31	55 ± 11	21/10	Conventional therapy	RUV		20
Baofengfeng, 2010				24	21–37^#	0/24	Neostigmine + hot compress of the lower abdomen	RUV		3
Chinning, 2008				93	42.0	25/68	Clipping of the ureter	Voluntary urination		5
Chenxujun, 2012				32	20–36^#	0/32	Neostigmine	Voluntary urination		3 h
Chenxuenong, 2006				30	35–69^#	0/30	Neostigmine + conventional therapy	Voluntary urination, RUV		5
Chenyanling, 2007				40	22–35^#	0/40	Neostigmine	Voluntary urination		6 h
Fangmei, 2014				40	20–59^#	18/22	Neostigmine	Voluntary urination		1 h
Huanglan, 2006				33	—	—	Conventional therapy	Voluntary urination		—
Liuyanling, 2017				31	63 ± 11	0/31	Qianlieantong tablets; finasteride tablets	RUV		21
Wangdaojun, 2008				39	18–35	0/39	Neostigmine	Voluntary urination		1
Yinhongbo, 2007				30	16–67	—	Neostigmine + conventional therapy	Voluntary urination		5

Abbreviations: ∗ = average; # = range; CIC = clean intermittent catheterization; residual urine volume (RUV) judging criteria: cure—RUV < 100; valid—100 ≤ RUV < 200; invalid—RUV > 200.