Review Article

Is Acupuncture Another Good Choice for Physicians in the Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome? Review of the Latest Literature

Table 3

The baseline characteristics of the patients of the enrolled studies.

ReferencesPatient age, yearsInclusion criteriaControl interventionSample size (acupuncture vs. control)OutcomesAcupuncture sessionsFollow-up timeAdverse events (acupuncture vs. control)

Lee et al., 2008 [15]40.9 ± 11.0 (Acu) vs. 42.8 ± 9.4 (Sacu)CP/CPPSSham acupuncture44 (Acu):45 (Sacu)NIH-CPSIBiweekly for 10 weeks5, 10, 14, 22, 34 weeks8/44 (6 hematomas and 2 with pain at needling sites) vs. 5/45(1 hematoma, 3 with pain at needling sites, and 1 with acute urinary retention)
Lee and Lee, 2009 [16]39.8 ± 5.8 (Acu) vs. 36.4 ± 5.8 (Sacu)CP/CPPS (category III)Sham acupuncture12 (Acu):12 (Sacu)IPSS、NIH-CPSI Brief pain inventorBiweekly for 6 weeks3, 6 weeksOnly 1 Sacu patient experienced lower back pain near the needling site.
Sahin et al., 2015 [22]32.1 ± 7.2 (Acu) vs. 32.8 ± 7.0 (Sacu)CP/CPPS (category III B)Sham acupuncture45 (Acu):46 (Sacu)IPSS NIH-CPSIEvery week for 6 weeks6, 8, 16, 24 weeksNo adverse events were reported in both groups.
Qin et al., 2018 [25]33.8 ± 6.8 (Acu) vs. 35.1 ± 9.6 (Sacu)CP/CPPSSham acupuncture34 (Acu):34 (Sacu)NIH-CPSI IPSS3 times a week for 8 weeks24 weeks4/34(3 participants complained of hematoma and 1 described sharp needling pain) vs. 1/34 (1 participant reported fatigue after treatment)
Zhao and Sun, 2014 [20]32 ± 6. 91 vs. (Acu) 33 ± 7. 39 (Sacu) vs. 31 ± 6. 78 (Med)CP/CPPS (category III B)Sham acupuncture; Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.2 mg qd (Med)29 (Acu):29 (Sacu):29 (Med)NIH-CPSIBiweekly for 4 weeksNo report1 (Acu, 1 participant fainted during treatment) vs. 0 (Sacu) vs. 1 (Med, 1 participant had hypotension)
Liu et al., 2012 [18]33.2 ± 10.6 (Acu) vs. 31.8 ± 8.8 (Med)CP (not specified)Prostate tablets 70 mg bid,33 (Acu):32 (Med)NIH-CPSI3 times a week for 4 weeksNo reportNot provided
Qi and Wu, 2012 [17]32.60 ± 7.04 (Acu + Med) vs. 34.77 ± 10.88 (Med)CP/CPPS (category III)Terazosin 2 mg qd30 (Acu + Med):30 (Med)NIH-CPSIOnce every three days, a total of 10 timesNo reportNot provided
Ma et al., 2014 [19]31 ± 8 (Acu) vs. 33 ± 7.0 (Med)CP (category III B)Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.2 mg, indomethacin 75 mg tid37 (Acu):29 (Med)NIH-CPSI Chinese medicine symptom scoreEvery 2 weeks for 8 weeks8 weeksNot provided
Küçük et al., 2015 [21]33.30 ± 7.84 (total)CP/CPPS (category III B)Levofloxacin 500 mg daily, ibuprofen 200 mg bid26 (Acu):28 (Med)NIH-CPSITwice a week for 7 weeks28 weeks (range 20–43 weeks)No adverse events were reported in both groups.
Chen et al., 2016 [23]33 ± 7 (Acu) vs. 34 ± 7 (Med)<CP/CPPSLevofloxacin 200 mg bid, Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.2 mg qd30 (Acu + Med):29 (Acu):29 (Med)NIH-CPSIOnce a day for 24 daysNo reportNot provided
Gen et al., 2016 [24]29.13 ± 13.56 (Acu) vs. 28.84 ± 14.63 (Med)CP/CPPS (category III B)Tamsulosin Hydrochloride 0.2 mg qd28 (Acu):28 (Med)NIH-CPSIOnce every 2 days, for 4 weeksNo reportNot provided

Acu: acupuncture; sacu: sham acupuncture; med: medication.