Review Article

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Randomized Controlled Trials on Acupuncture Treating Migraine

Table 2

Certainty of evidences reviewed by GRADE.

Study IDInterventionControlOutcomesCertainty of evidences

Linde et al. [7]AcupunctureNo treatment/usual careHeadache frequency (after treatment) assessed with days per month; response (after treatment and follow-up) assessed with proportion of participants with at least 50% headache frequency reductionModerate
Headache frequency (follow-up) assessed with days per monthLow
AcupunctureSham acupunctureHeadache frequency (after treatment and follow-up) assessed with days per month; response (after treatment and follow-up) assessed with proportion of participants with at least 50% headache frequency reductionModerate
Number of participants dropping out because of adverse effectsLow
Number of participants reporting adverse effectsHigh
AcupunctureProphylactic drug treatmentHeadache frequency (after treatment and follow-up) assessed with days per month; response (after treatment and follow-up) assessed with proportion of participants with at least 50% headache frequency reduction; number of participants dropping out because of adverse effects; number of participants reporting adverse effectsModerate

Chen [16]AcupunctureDrug treatmentEffective rateLow∼moderate
Headache frequency, headache intensity, length of headache, combined symptoms, and symptom scoreModerate
AcupunctureOther TCM treatmentEffective rate, headache frequency, and combined symptomsLow
Headache intensity and length of headacheVery low
AcupunctureNRVAS score and adverse eventsModerate
TCD-MCA;TCD-ACA; TCD-PCA;TCD-VALow
TCD-BAVery low

Zhao [23]AcupunctureDrug treatmentEffective rate, pain index, headache intensity, length of headache, combined symptoms score, and symptom scoreVery low
Acupuncture with acupuncture on earDrug treatmentEffective rate of mild patientsLow
Effective rate, effective rate of moderate patients, effective rate of severe patients, headache score, β-EP, Vasopressin, NO, PGF, ET-1, and adverse effects.Very low
Acupuncture with TCM drug treatmentDrug treatmentEffective rateVery low
Acupuncture with electrical stimulationDrug treatmentEffective rateVery low
Acupuncture for bloodlettingTCM drug treatmentEffective rate, headache intensity, and length of headacheVery low

Pu [24]AcupunctureDrug treatmentMigraine days (5-6 months); migraine times (3-4 months); effective rate (5-6 months)Moderate
Migraine days (3-4 months), migraine times (5-6 months), headache intensity (5-6 months), and number of use of analgesics (5-6 months)Low
Headache intensity (3-4 months), number of use of analgesics (3-4 months), effective rate (3-4 months), adverse effects, and follow-up rateVery low

TCD: transcranial doppler; MCA: middle cerebral artery; ACA: anterior cerebral artery; posterior cerebral artery: VA: vertebral artery; BA: basilar artery; β-EP: beta-endorphin; NO: nitric oxide; PG: prostaglandin; ET: endothelin.