Bladder & Urinary Tract Conditions

2021 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology

Compared with rehabilitation exercise or medication, acupuncture intervention can help alleviate the symptoms of urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly women.

A total of eight studies with 607 patients were included in the evaluation. The current meta-analysis showed that compared with rehabilitation exercise or medication, acupuncture intervention significantly improved the clinical effectiveness, reduced the urine leakage in pad test and decrease the ICIQ-SF score. The results indicated that acupuncture intervention can help the patients alleviate the symptoms effectively.

Based on this study, acupuncture intervention of stress urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly women can improve the clinical effectiveness, reduce the urine leakage in pad test and ICIQ-SF score. More high-quality studies with large sample size are required for further verification.

Efficacy of acupuncture for urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Yang N, Ge X, Ye J, Liu Q, Wu Y, Yan H, Han X.

2021 Medicine

Acupuncture can effectively improve the post voided residual urine, maximal cystometric capacity, and bladder capacity for first voiding desire values of patients with urinary retention after hysterectomy.

There is insufficient evidence that acupuncture can increase the patient's MFR, BR, and UIR. However, acupuncture can effectively improve the PVR, maximal cystometric capacity, and bladder capacity for first voiding desire values of patients with urinary retention after hysterectomy. Although limited due to the quality and methodological limitations of the included studies, acupuncture can still be used as an effective and safe treatment for women with urinary retention after hysterectomy.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for urinary retention after hysterectomy Zhao, Q., Yan, C., Dan, M., & Jia, H.

2021 The Brazilian Journal of Nursing

Acupuncture has a positive effect in improving quality of life, fatigue and sleep in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Nine studies were selected; the acupuncture techniques used were auriculotherapy, electroacupuncture and acupressure aimed at improving quality of life, fatigue, sleep and clinical variables of the disease. The studies that assessed quality of life, sleep and fatigue presented significant benefits. Studies that assessed quality of life, sleep and fatigue presented significant benefits. There was no statistical significance in the improvement of serum creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate. Methodological and assessment tools’ divergence made impossible meta-analysis.

Effects of acupuncture in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review Melo GAA, Aguiar LL, Silva RA, Pereira FGF, Silva FLBD, Caetano JÁ.

2020 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Five RCTs involving 341 participants were included. Methodological quality of studies and strength of the evidence were low to moderate. The chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics. The risk of UTI recurrence was lower with acupuncture than with no treatment and sham acupuncture.

Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections, noting the limitations of the current evidence. Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, there is a need for high-quality RCTs of non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture.

Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis Qin X, Coyle ME, Yang L, Liang J, Wang K, Guo X, Zhang AL, Mao W, Lu C, Xue CC, Liu X

2019 Acupuncture in Medicine

Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture was comparable to drugs in the reduction of overactive bladder symptoms.

Seven eligible trials involving 695 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture was comparable to drugs (tolterodine tartrate/solifenacin) in the reduction of micturition episodes over 24 hours, increase in voided volume of each micturition episode, and reduction of overactive bladder symptom score. In addition, acupuncture was not significantly different compared with placebo in the reduction of overactive bladder symptom score. No serious adverse events were reported.

Acupuncture for overactive bladder in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis Mak TC, Chen HY, Cho WC

2018 Medicine

Acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes.

According to the results of meta-analysis, acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes. However, the evidence is insufficient to show the effect using acupuncture alone or the additional effect to drugs in treating OAB. Nevertheless, acupuncture is comparatively with few adverse reactions and safe. In the future, studies with high methodological quality and larger sample sizes are required.

Acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Zhao Y, Zhou J, Mo Q, Wang Y, Yu J, Liu Z.

2016 Medicine

Current evidence supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome-induced symptoms, particularly in relieving pain.

Real acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms (pain, voiding) and quality of life (Qof) domain subscores. Compared to sham acupuncture and medicine, acupuncture appears to be more effective at improving the global assessment. Two trials found that there is no significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in decreasing the IPSS score. Acupuncture failed to show more favorable effects in improving both symptoms and the Qof domain compared with medicine. Overall, current evidence supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for CP/CPPS-induced symptoms, particularly in relieving pain. Based on the meta-analysis, acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms and Qof. Acupuncture might be similar to medicine (Levofloxacinand, Ibuprofen, and Tamsulosin) in its long-term effects, but evidence was limited due to high ROB among included trials as well as potential heterogeneity. Acupuncture is associated with rare and slightly adverse events.

Systematic Review of Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Qin Z, Wu J, Zhou J, Liu Z.

2016 Neurourology and Urodynamics

Acupuncture has promising efficacy for patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Three and four randomized controlled trials compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture (n = 101 vs. 103) and medical treatment (n = 156 vs. 138), respectively. The results revealed that acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture as regards response rate, NIH-CPSI, and IPSS reductions, therefore, excluding the placebo effect. Compared to standard medical treatments, acupuncture had a significantly higher response rate.

Acupuncture has promising efficacy for patients with CP/CPPS. Compared to standard medical treatment, it has better efficacy. Thus, it may also serve as a standard treatment option when available.

The efficacy of acupuncture in managing patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A systemic review and meta-analysis This study aimed to systemically review published randomized control trials that compared the efficacy of acupuncture with sham acupuncture or standard medical treatment as management for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).

2016 Scientific Reports

Acupuncture may be recommended for the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome with relatively rare incidence of adverse events.

Based on decreases in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score, a network meta-analysis indicated that electro-acupuncture, acupuncture, alpha-blockers, antibiotics, and dual therapy are superior to placebo in decreasing this score. Additionally, electro-acupuncture and dual therapy were more effective than alpha-blockers in decreasing the total NIH-CPSI total score. Other network meta-analyses did not show significant differences between interventions other placebo. The incidence of adverse events of acupuncture was relatively rare (5.4%) compared with placebo (17.1%), alpha-blockers (24.9%), antibiotics (31%) and dual therapy (48.6%). Overall, rank tests and safety analyses indicate that electro-acupuncture/acupuncture may be recommended for the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Network Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Acupuncture, Alpha-blockers and Antibiotics on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Qin, Z., Wu, J., Tian, J. et al.

2016 International Urogynecology Journal

Some comparative trials showed the benefit of acupuncture to be comparable with antimuscarinic treatment for overactive bladder.

Initial animal studies suggest several biochemical mechanisms of action underlying the effect of acupuncture on overactive bladder (OAB) suppression. The experience in humans includes two case series and six comparative trials. All studies demonstrated subjective improvement in OAB symptoms, and some reported objective improvement in urodynamic studies. Notably, some comparative trials showed the benefit of acupuncture to be comparable with antimuscarinic treatment.

Despite their limitations, existing studies serve as a promising foundation for suggesting a role for acupuncture as an alternative therapy for OAB. Further well-designed studies are required to investigate optimal technique and their outcomes.

The role of acupuncture in managing overactive bladder; a review of the literature Forde JC, Jaffe E, Stone BV, Te AE, Espinosa G, Chughtai B.

2015 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

We cautiously suggest that acupuncture therapy could demonstrate better clinical efficacy than pharmacological treatment or placebo treatment in treating nocturnal enuresis.

In summary, the results of this study suggest that acupuncture therapy demonstrate better clinical efficacy than pharmacological treatment or placebo treatment in treating NE. Due to the low methodological qualities of included trials, the findings of current study should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, to further assess the potential beneficial effect of acupuncture therapy for NE, additional RCTs with rigorous experimental design, large-scale high quality methodological control, long follow-ups, and strict reporting specification are required.

Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Lv ZT, Song W, Wu J, et al.

2015 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Chinese herbal medicine may provide an effective treatment during the acute phase of UTI and when given prophylactically to prevent recurrence in the six months following treatment.

We found limited evidence from seven RCTs about the possible role of Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for recurrent UTI, either as the sole intervention or as an adjunct to antibiotic treatment for post‐menopausal women. CHM may provide an effective treatment during the acute phase of UTI and when given prophylactically to prevent recurrence in the six months following treatment. However, the small number and poor quality of the included studies meant that it was not possible to formulate robust conclusions on the use of CHM for recurrent UTI in women, when administered alone or as an adjunct to antibiotics.

Chinese herbal medicine for treating recurrent urinary tract infections in women Flower A, Wang LQ, Lewith G, Liu JP, Li Q.