Table 1.
The details of the included studies.
| References | Country | Diagnostic criterion | Sample size | Gender (male/ female) | Mean age (year) | Intervention | Frequency and sessions of acupuncture | Needle retention | Treatment duration | Comparison | Outcome | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chassot et al. (57) | Brazil | ICHD-3 | EA:18 SA:16 | EA: 0/18 SA: 0/16 |
EA: 39.11 ± 10.5 SA: 41.44 ± 10.5 |
EA | Twice a week, 10 sessions | 30 min | 5 weeks | SA | 3, 8 | NR |
| Duan (62) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:48 M:48 | MA: 14/34 M: 17/31 |
MA: 42.7 ± 11.5 M: 43.5 ± 11.2 |
MA | Once a day, 21 sessions | 40 min | 3 weeks | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50mg, tid | 3 | NR |
| Deng (63) | China | ICHD-2 | EA:25 M:25 | EA: 8/17 M: 6/19 |
EA:32.18 ± 11.56 M: 31.62 ± 10.07 |
EA | Once a day, 10 sessions | 30 min | 10 days | Acetaminophen 0.5g, qid + Amitriptyline 25mg, qn | 2,3 | NR |
| Endres et al. (21) | Germany | ICHD-2 | MA:208 M:195 | MA: 46/163 M: 42/158 |
MA: 39.2 ± 11.4 M: 38.9 ± 12.2 |
MA | Twice a week, 10 sessions | 30 min | 6 weeks | SA | 1,2,3,8 | 6 weeks, 18 weeks |
| Guo (31) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:50 M:50 | MA: 16/34 M: 19/31 |
MA: 33.2 ± 10.2 M: 34.0 ± 10.6 |
MA | Once every other day, 14 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50 mg, tid; + Flunarizine hydrochloride 5mg, qd | 3 | NR |
| Guo (28) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:32 M:32 | MA: 25/70 M: 26/68 |
MA: 42.5 ± 7.13 M: 41.77 ± 8.42 |
MA | Once every other day, 14 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Deanxit bid | 6, 7 | 4 weeks |
| Huang (51) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:34 M:21 | MA: 16/17 M: 8/9 |
MA:49.39 ±7.49 M:51.94 ± 7.79 | MA | Once every other day, 14 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Acetaminophen 0.3 g, qd or bid | 8 | NR |
| Jeon and Lee (29) | Korea | ICHD-3 | EA:15 SA:15 | EA: 6/9 SA: 8/7 |
EA:40.00 ±13.11 SA:34.33 ± 11.48 | EA | 3 times a week, 3 sessions | 20 min | 1 week | SA | 2,3 | 1 week |
| Karst et al. (58) | Germany | IHS1988 | MA:34 SA:35 | MA: 17/17 SA: 14/21 |
MA: 47.9 ±13.8 SA: 48.2 ±14.6 |
MA | Twice a week, 10 sessions | 30 min | 5 weeks | SA | 2,3,5 | 6 weeks, 20 weeks |
| Kwak et al. (59) | Korea | ICHD-2 | MA:17 SA:15 | MA: 3/14 SA: 3/12 |
MA:45.05 ± 12.57 SA: 49.4 ±11.14 |
MA | Twice a week, 8 sessions | 25 min | 4 weeks | SA | 3,8 | 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks |
| Koran et al. (64) | Turkey | ICHD-3 | MA:40 SA:41 M:48 | MA: 18/22 SA: 18/23 M: 22/26 |
NR | MA | 2–3 times a week, 8 sessions | 20 min | 4 weeks | 1.SA 2. Antidepressant + analgesic | 3 | 1 week, 12 weeks |
| Liu (36) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:32 M:30 | MA: 13/19 M: 12/18 |
MA:50.53 ± 13.70 M: 48.33 ± 13.17 |
MA | 5 times a week, 20 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Escitalopram oxalate 10 mg, qd | 7,8 | 4 weeks |
| Melchart et al. (22) | Germany | ICH-10 | MA:132 SA:63 WT:75 | MA: 72/95 SA: 73/46 WT:77/58 |
MA:42.3 ±13.5 SA:43.4 ± 12.9 WT:42.8 ± 13.2 | MA | 1–2 times a week, 12 sessions | 30 min | 8 weeks | 1.SA 2.WT | 1,2,3 4,7,8 | 4 weeks, 16 weeks |
| Nie (30) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:41 M:41 | MA: 12/29 M: 18/23 |
MA:50.02 ± 10.66 M: 46.54 ±11.46 |
MA | 3 times a week, 12 sessions | 20 min | 4 weeks | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50 mg, tid | 2,3,8 | 4 weeks, 8 weeks |
| Söderberg et al. (60) | Sweden | IHS1988 | MA:30 E:30 RT:30 | MA: 7/23 E: 7/23 RT: 3/27 | MA: 35 ± 10.25 E: 35 ± 9.5 RT: 43.5 ± 9.25 | MA | Once a week, 10–12 sessions | 30 min | 10–12 weeks | 1.E 2.RT | 3 | 12 weeks, 24 weeks |
| Schiller et al. (33) | Germany | ICHD-3 | MA:24 UC:24 E:24 MA+E:24 | MA: 6/18 UC:7/17 E: 5/18 MA+E: 2/22 | MA: 39.8 ±12.2 UC: 38.7 ±14.6 E: 37 ±15.3 MA+E: 39 ± 11.6 | MA | 1–3 times a week, 12 sessions | 30 min | 6 weeks | 1.UC 2.E 3. MA+E | 1,3,8 | 6 weeks, 18 weeks |
| Tavola et al. (48) | Sweden | IHS 1988 | MA:15 SA:15 | MA: 2/13 SA: 2/13 |
MA: 32.5 ± 10 SA: 33.3 ± 13.3 |
MA | Once a week, 8 sessions | 20 min | 8 weeks | SA | 5 | 4 weeks, 16 weeks, 40 weeks |
| White et al. (49) | England | IHS 1988 | MA:25 SA:25 | MA: 7/18 SA: 5/20 |
MA: 49.8 ± 2.9 SA: 48.2 ± 2.9 |
MA | Once a week, 6 sessions | Without needle retention | 6 weeks | SA | 1,2,3,4 | 4 weeks, 8 weeks |
| Wu (52) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:30 M:30 | MA: 18/12 M: 15/15 |
MA: 44.3 ± 12.49 M: 42.87 ± 9.38 |
MA | 5 times a week, 10 sessions | 30 min | 2 weeks | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50 mg, tid | 6,7,8 | NR |
| Wang (27) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:29 M:27 | MA: 8/21 M: 7/20 |
MA: 38 ± 10 M: 39 ± 11 |
MA | 3 times a week, 18 sessions | 30–45 min | 48 days | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50 mg, tid | 3,4 | NR |
| White et al. (61) | England | IHS 1988 | MA:4 SA:5 | MA: 1/3 SA: 1/4 |
MA: 57.2 ±13.6 SA: 57.4 ±19.9 |
MA | Once a week, 6 sessions | Without needle retention | 6 weeks | SA | 8 | NR |
| Wang (35) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:150 M:100 | MA: 63/87 M: 42/58 |
MA: 44 ± 13 M: 43 ±13 |
MA | 3 times a week, 9 sessions | 4–6 hours | 3 weeks | Eperisone Hydrochloride 50mg, tid | 3 | NR |
| Xiang (53) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:30 M:30 | MA: 13/17 M: 10/20 |
MA: 40.7 ± 10.6 M: 40.43 ± 12.92 |
MA | 6 times a week, 24 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Amitriptyline hydrochloride 25mg, tid | 3 | NR |
| Xue et al. (50) | Australia | IHS 1988 | EA:20 SA:20 | EA: 7/13 SA: 7/13 |
EA: 42.6 ±1.8 SA: 41.5 ±1.9 |
EA | Twice a week, 8 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | SA | 2,3,8 | NR |
| Yang (32) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:41 M:41 | MA: 46/163 M: 42/158 |
MA: 40.96 ± 8.23 M: 41.29 ± 8.32 |
MA | Once a day, 14 sessions | 30 min | 2 weeks | Ibuprofen 0.3 g, bid | 3 | NR |
| Zheng et al. (23) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:110 SA:108 | MA: 28/82 SA: 33/75 |
MA: 43 ± 12.5 SA: 43.2 ± 12.8 |
MA | 2–3 times a week, 20 sessions | 30 min | 8 weeks | SA | 1,2,3,8 | 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 weeks |
| Zhou (55) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:30 M:30 | MA: 12/18 M: 14/16 |
MA: 44.77 ±12.42 M: 45.93 ±12.30 |
MA | 5 times a week, 20 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Amitriptyline hydrochloride 25 mg, qd | 6,7 | NR |
| Zhang (54) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:26 SA+M:20 | NR | NR | MA | 3 times a week, 12 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | SA+ Estazolam 0.5 mg, qn | 1,2,4,8 | 12 weeks |
| Zhang (34, 47) | China | ICHD-3 | MA:29 M:30 | MA: 13/16 M: 13/17 |
MA: 31.79 ± 8.56 M: 32.03 ± 6.49 |
MA | Once a day, 28 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Amitriptyline | 3,6,7 | NR |
| Zhu (51) | China | ICHD-2 | MA:30 M:30 | MA: 9/21 M: 7/23 |
MA: 39.17 ± 10.15 M: 40.07 ± 9.82 |
MA | 6 times a week, 24 sessions | 30 min | 4 weeks | Amitriptyline 25 mg, bid; + Oryzanol 30 mg, tid | 8 | 4 weeks |
1. Responder rate (at least 50% reduction of headache days); 2. Headache frequency; 3. Pain intensity; 4. Headache duration; 5. Consumption of medication; 6. Anxiety; 7. Depression; 8. Adverse event. MA, manual acupuncture; EA, electro-acupuncture; SA, sham acupuncture; RT, relaxation training; WT, waiting list; UC, usual care; M, medication; E, exercise; NR, no report; IHS, International Headache Society; ICHD, International Classification of Headache Disorders; min, minutes.