The Efficacy of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Sciatica: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Details of acupuncture treatment and control interventions of studies included in the meta-analysis.

Study ID	Acupuncture rationale	Details of needling				Treatment regimen		Control interventions (drug/dosage/frequency)
		Points used	Depth of insertion/response sought	Needle stimulation	Needle type/retention time	No. TS	Frequency
Zhan and Liang, 1993 [10]	TCM	Shenshu (BL 23), Zhishi (BL 53), Zhibian (BL 54), Huantiao (GB 30), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Xuanzong (GB 39), Qiuxu (GB 40), Taichong (LR 3), and Fengfu (GV 16)	NA/NA	Manual	Number 30 needles (Hua Tuo card)/20 min	40	NA	Prednisone, Vit B1, Piroxicam (taken orally)/NA/NA
Chen et al., 2007 [12]	TCM	Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), and Kunlun (BL 60)	NA/De qi	Manual	0.30 × 60–75 mm/5~30 min	10	Once a day, 10 times/course, and 3 days' rest after a course	C1: Nimesulide (taken orally)/0.10 g/bid; C2: 654-2 injection (i.m.)/2 mg per acupoint/<10 mg/qd; 10 times per course, 3 days’ rest after a course
Dong et al., 2008 [15]	TCM	Huantiao (GB 30)	NA/Gaing of qi	Manual	0.3 mm × 4-inch unused sterile needles (Ruiqi Er brand)/30 min	15	Once a day, 15 times/course	Ibuprofen Sustained Release Capsules (taken orally)/300 mg/bid; 15 times per course
Chen, 2010 [16]	TCM	Jiaji () (EX-B2), Zhibian (BL 54), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), Chengshan (BL 57), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Kunlun (BL 60), Yinmen (BL 37), and Ashi point	2 inches for the points Zhibian and Yanglingquan, 3~4 inches for the point Huantiao; 1.5 inches for the points Yinmen, Weizhong, and Chengshan/muscle twitch	Electrical	0.30 × 25–40 mm/30 min	6	Three times per week, two weeks per course	Ibuprofen (taken orally)/0.2 g/tid; Prednisone (taken orally)/30 mg/tid; 7 times per course
Zhu et al., 2011 [11]	TCM	Huantiao (GB 30), Juliao (GB 29), Weizhong (BL 40), and Chengshan (BL 57)	NA/Huantiao: Gaing of qi to toes	Electrical	NA/30 min	6	Once a day, 6 times/course, and 3 days' rest after a course	Ibuprofen (taken orally)/300 mg/bid; Vit B1 injection (i.m.)/100 mg/qd; Vit B12 injection (i.m.)/0.25 mg/qd; 6 times per course, 3 days’ rest after a course
Zhang, 2012 [17]	TCM	Posterior limb of lower limbs or back pain: Dachangshu (BL 25), Chengshan (BL 57), Huantiao (GB 30), and Weizhong (BL 40); lateral of lower limbs or buttocks pain: Huantiao (GB 30), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Yanglingquan (GB 34), and Fenglong (ST 40); all pain referred to above: Dachangshu (BL 25), Huantiao (GB 30), Zhibian (BL 54), Kunlun (BL 60), and Yanglingquan (GB 34)	NA/De qi	Manual	NA/30 min	6	Once a day, six times per week	Ibuprofen (taken orally)/0.6 g/tid; Prednisone/10 mg/tid; 7 times per course, 2 days’ rest after a course
Zhai, 2012 [18]	TCM	Dachangshu (BL 25), Shenshu (BL 23), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), and Kunlun (BL 60)	NA/De qi	Manual	0.30 × 60–75 mm/15~30 min	10	Once a day, 10 times/course, and 3 days' rest after a course	Nimesulide (taken orally)/0.10 g/bid; 10 times per course, 3 days’ rest after a course
Liu, 2012 [19]	TCM	Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), and Kunlun (BL 60)	NA/De qi	Manual	0.30 × 60–75 mm/NA	10	Once a day, 10 times/course, and 3 days' rest after a course	C1: Nimesulide (taken orally)/0.10 g/bid; C2: 654-2 injection (i.m.)/2 mg per acupoint/<10 mg/qd; 10 times per course, 3 days’ rest after a course
Qiu, 2013 [5]	TCM	Lateral leg or buttocks pain: Xuanzhong (GB 39), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Huantiao (GB 30), and Fenglong (ST 40); back or posterior limb of lower limbs pain: Dachangshu (BL 25), Chengshan (BL 57), Huantiao (GB 30), and Weizhong (BL 40); all pain referred to above: Zhibian (BL 54), Kunlun (BL 60), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Dachangshu (BL 25), and Huantiao (GB 30)	NA/De qi	Manual	Number 26 6-inch long needles/30 min	10~12	Once a day, 5~6 times per week, and two weeks per course	Indomethacin (taken orally)/30 mg/bid; Vit B12 (i.m.)/500 u/qd
Huang, 2014 [20]	TCM	Lateral of lower limbs or buttocks pain: Yanglingquan (GB 34), Xuanzhong (GB 39), and Fenglong (ST 40); posterior limb of lower limbs or back pain: Chengshan (BL 57), Dachangshu (BL 25), and Huantiao (GB 30); all pain referred to above: Yanglingquan (GB 34), Zhibian (BL 54), Kunlun (BL 60), and Huantiao (GB 30)	NA/NA	Manual	NA/30 min	6	Once a day, six times per week	Ibuprofen (taken orally)/0.6 g/tid; Prednisone (taken orally)/10 mg/tid; 7 times per course, 2 days’ rest after a course
Wang, 2014 [21]	TCM	Main points: Zhibian (BL 54), Huantiao (GB 30), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Juliao (GB 29), Kunlun (BL 60), Chengshan (BL 57), and Xuanzhong (GB 39); Optional points: damp-heat syndrome: Yinlingquan (SP 9), Pishu (BL 20); cold-dampness syndrome: Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Shenshu (BL 23); blood stasis syndrome: Weizhong (BL 40), Ciliao (BL 32); deficiency of both qi and blood: Geshu (BL 17), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Zusanli (ST 36)	NA/De qi	Electrical	NA/30 min	10	Once a day, 10 times/course, and 5 days' rest after a course	Nimesulide (taken orally)/0.10 g/bid; 10 times per course, 3 days’ rest after a course
Ye et al., 2015 [22]	TCM	Jiaji (L4-5) (EX-B2), Jiaji (L5-S5) (EX-B2), Zhibian (BL 54), and Huantiao (GB 30)	NA/De qi	Electrical	NA/30 min	6	Two times per week, for three weeks	Diclofenac Diethylamine gel (external use)/4 g; four times per day, three weeks

C: Control group; NA: not available; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; No. TS: number of treatment sessions.
i.m.: intramuscular route; qd: once a day; bid: twice a day; tid: three times a day.