Review Article

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

Table 5

MAs outcomes about headache situation.

Study IDOutcomeAcute or preventive treatmentInterventionControlFollow-up timeRCTs (n)I2ModelScaleEffect95% CI value

Linde et al. [14]Headache frequencyNRAcupuncture3-4 months after randomization4 (2087)44%REMSMD−0.43[−0.60, −0.27]<0.00001
Headache days3-months after randomization3 (2064)12%REMMD−2.09[−2.60, −1.58]<0.00001
Analgesic use2 months after randomization2 (218)0%REMSMD−0.29[−0.59, 0.01]0.057
3-4months after randomization4 (581)92%REMSMD−0.52[−1.22, 0.18]0.15
Headache frequency2 months after randomization6 (895)57%REMSMD−0.23[−0.49, 0.04]0.09
3-4months after randomization8 (1012)57%REMSMD−0.18[−0.44, 0.07]0.16
5-6 months after randomization5 (932)55%REMSMD0.01[−0.25, 0.28]0.92
>6 months after randomization4 (150)0%REMSMD0.11[−0.22, 0.43]0.52
Migraine attacks2 months after randomization4 (327)21%REMMD−0.35[−0.74, 0.04]0.079
3-4 months after randomization5 (360)40%REMMD−0.11[−0.51, 0.30]0.61
5-6 months after randomization4 (321)51%REMMD0.15[−0.36, 0.65]0.57
>6 months after randomization4 (150)0%REMMD0.30[−0.10, 0.71]0.14
Migraine days2 months after randomization5 (864)65%REMMD−0.80[−1.70, 0.11]0.084
3-4 months after randomization6 (951)52%REMMD−0.27[−0.98, 0.45]0.46
5-6 months after randomization5 (928)37%REMMD−0.17[−0.82, 0.47]0.60
>6 months after randomization4 (140)0%REMMD0.35[−0.90, 1.60]0.59
Headache days2 months after randomization2 (240)43%REMMD−0.47[−2.31, 1.36]0.61
3-4 months after randomization2 (238)21%REMMD−0.12[−1.41, 1.17]0.86
5-6 months after randomization2 (233)38%REMMD−0.07[−1.66, 1.52]0.93
Analgesic use2 months after randomization5 (368)0%REMSMD−0.08[−0.29, 0.14]0.50
3-4 months after randomization7 (455)74%REMSMD−0.27[−0.71, 0.16]0.21
5-6 months after randomization6 (410)94%REMSMD−0.56[−1.57, 0.46]0.28
>6 months after randomization5 (171)0%REMSMD0.02[−0.30, 0.35]0.89
Headache frequencyPreventive treatmentAcupuncture2 months after randomization3 (553)0%REMSMD−0.24[−0.40, −0.08]0.003
3-4 months after randomization4 (780)0%REMSMD−0.26[−0.41, −0.11]0.00008
5-6 months after randomization3 (714)0%REMSMD−0.20[−0.35, −0.05]0.010
Migraine attacks2 months after randomization2 (241)0%REMMD−0.49[−0.91, −0.08]0.020
3-4 months after randomization3 (316)0%REMMD−0.32[−0.59, −0.04]0.025
5-6 months after randomization2 (237)78%REMMD−0.47[−1.22, 0.28]0.22
Migraine days2 months after randomization2 (503)0%REMMD−0.58[−1.09, −0.07]0.025
3-4 months after randomization2 (553)0%REMMD−0.70[−1.23, −0.17]0.0090
5-6 months after randomization2 (564)0%REMMD−0.66[−1.18, −0.13]0.014
Analgesic use2 months after randomization2 (241)28%REMSMD−0.22[−0.53, 0.08]0.15
3-4 months after randomization2 (239)0%REMSMD−0.08[−0.33, 0.18]0.56
5-6 months after randomization2 (237)0%REMSMD−0.09[−0.35, 0.17]0.49

Linde et al. [24]Headache frequencyMedian 3 months4 (1199)7%FEMSMD−0.56[−0.65, −0.48]<0.00001
Median 3 months12 (1646)47%FEMSMD−0.18[−0.28, −0.08]0.0004
Median 12 months9 (1534)59%FEMSMD−0.19[−0.30, −0.09]0.0003
Median 3 months3 (739)0%FEMSMD−0.25[−0.39, −0.10]0.001
Median 12 months3 (744)0%FEMSMD−0.13[−0.28, 0.01]0.08

Gao et al. [20]Headache daysNRAcupunctureAfter treatment3 (775)45%FEMMD0.18[−0.38, 0.73]0.54
After follow-up3 (839)59%FEMMD−0.17[−0.69, 0.35]0.53

Pu [24]Migraine daysPreventive treatmentAcupuncture3-4 months after randomization4 (755)3%FEMSMD−0.30[−0.45, −0.16]<0.0001
5-6 months after randomization2 (564)0%FEMSMD−0.66[−1.18, −0.13]0.01
Migraine frequency3-4 months after randomization3 (316)0%FEMMD−0.32[−0.59, −0.04]0.03
5-6 months after randomization2 (237)78%REMMD−0.47[−1.22, 0.28]0.22
Analgesic use3-4 months after randomization4 (388)83%REMSMD−0.34[−0.85, 0.17]0.20
5-6 months after randomization3 (321)0%FEMSMD−0.22[−0.44, 0.00]0.06

Song et al. [26]Headache timesPreventive treatmentAcupuncture with or without placebo③ with or without placeboLong-term (ND)2 (164)42%FEMMD−0.79[−1.39, −0.20]0.009

NR: not reported; ND: not defined; ①: no acupuncture; ②: sham acupuncture; ③: drug treatment; FEM: fixed effects model; REM: random effects model.