Table 1. Characteristics of 22 the included randomized trials.
| Study ID | Samplea | Age (y)b | Type of ED | Intervention | Control | Duration of treatment (wk)c | Outcome measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aydin et al (1997) [18] | T: 15, C1: 15, C2: 15, C3: 15 | T: 36.75±10.43, C1: 38.4±10.75, C2: 35.1±10.46, C3: 37.1±11.32 | Psychogenic | EA, 3 Hz direct-current (dc), 20 minutes, twice a week | C1: hypnotic therapy, (3 times a week, later once a month) | T: 6, C1: 6, C2: 6, C3: 6 | Satisfaction of selfassessment rate, adverse effects |
| C2: oral placebo (vitamin pills) | |||||||
| C3: sham acupuncture (non-acupuncture points) 3 Hz dc, 20 minutes, twice a week | |||||||
| Cao et al (2007) [31] | T: 36, C: 18 | T: 25–58, C: 26–59 | NR | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed herbal decoction), twice daily | 8 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate |
| Cheng and Cao (2009) [32] | T: 32, C: 32 | T: 20–56, C: 21–54 | NR | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed herbal decoction), twice daily | 4 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate |
| Chen et al (2011) [19] | T: 61, C: 62 | T: 27.62, C: 27.58 | Psychogenic | EA plus control, with density wave, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (compound Xuan Ju), 3 capsules, 3 times daily | 4 | Satisfaction of selfassessment rate, IIEF-5 scores |
| Cui et al (2007) [16] | T: 50, C1: 50, C2: 50 | T: 20–69, C1: 20–69, C2: 20–69 | Psychogenic or arterial supply insufficiency | Salvia miltiorrhiza injection and bupleurum injection once every 2 days | C1: acupoint injection with saline, once every 2 days | 3 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate, IIEF-5 scores |
| C2: CHM (Chun Yi capsule), 0.5 g/times, 3 times daily | |||||||
| Dai et al (2003) [20] | T: 44, C: 41 | T: 35.75±3.17, C: 36.24±4.12 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (Kang Wei Ling decoction), 2.5–4.5 g/times, twice daily | 4 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate |
| Ding et al (2012) [33] | T1: 88, C: 44 | T: 41.3±8.1, C: 39.1±6.7 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (Si Ni decoction), 3 times daily | 4–8 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate, penile erection angle |
| T2: 44, C: 44 | T: 38.3±7.4, C: 39.1±6.7 | Psychogenic | MA, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (modified herbal decoction), 3 times daily | 4–8 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate, penile erection angle | |
| Duan (2007) [17] | T: 30, C: 30 | T: 27–55, C: 29–52 | Psychogenic or arterial supply insufficiency | MA, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (You Gui pill), one pill, twice daily | 4 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate |
| Engelhardt et al (2003) [13] | T: 10, C: 11 | T: 38.9, C: 38.9 | Psychogenic | MA, 20 minutes, once or twice weekly | Sham acupuncture against headache acupoint, 20 minutes, once or twice weekly | 6.2 (4–10) | Satisfaction of selfassessment rate, IIEF scores, adverse effects |
| Jiang et al (2014) [21] | T: 64, C: 64 | T: 21–64, C: 22–65 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed herbal decoction), twice daily | 3–5 | Cure rate, IIEF scores |
| Jiang et al (2012) [22] | T: 51, C: 51 | T: 28.73±3.27, C: 27.67±4.12 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | Physical training, 5–15 minutes each time, 12 times from 15 days | 4 | Satisfaction of selfassessment rate |
| Lin et al (2005) [23] | T: 64, C: 32 | T: 38.3±8.1, C: 39.1±6.7 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed herbal decoction), twice daily | 4–8 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate, penile erection angle |
| Liu et al (2016) [24] | T: 32, C: 30 | T: 32, C: 30 | Psychogenic | AIHE plus control, injection 1 mL/time, once every 2 day | Tadalafil tablet, 5 mg/times, once daily | 12 | Cure rate, IIEF scores |
| Liu (2017) [25] | T: 31, C: 31 | T: 42.68±2.35, C: 42.56±2.45 | Psychogenic | MA with moxibustion plus control, MA: 30 minutes, once daily | Tadalafil tablet, 10 mg/times, 3 times daily | 4 | Cure rate, adverse effects |
| Liu and Ren (2015) [14] | T: 30, C: 30 | T: 47.4±6.01, C: 47.8±6.51 | ED with type-2 diabetes | MA plus control, 20 minutes, once daily | Psychotherapy and exercise | 8 | Cure rate, IIEF scores |
| Shan (2001) [26] | T: 60, C: 30 | T: 43.6, C: 43.6 | NR | MA plus control, 20 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed herbal decoction), twice daily | 12 | Markedly improved on erectile function rate |
| Xie (2016) [27] | T: 40, C: 40 | T: 42.8±8.35, C: 43.19±8.07 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (Cong Rong Yi Shen granules), twice daily | 16 | Cure rate, IIEF scores, adverse effects |
| Yang and Tian (2008) [34] | T: 20, C: 20 | T: 40, C: 40 | NR | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (self-prescribed Shen Qi Er Xian herbal decoction), twice daily | 4–8 | Satisfaction of selfassessment rate |
| Ye and Chen (2017) [28] | T: 20, C: 20 | T: 34.15±6.43, C: 36.25±5.25 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | CHM (Huan Shao capsule), 2.1 g/times, 3 times daily | 4 | Cure rate, IIEF scores |
| Jia (2018) [29] | T: 20, C: 20 | T: 40.15±1.68, C: 40.86±1.91 | Psychogenic | MA with moxibustion plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | Tadalafil tablet, 5 mg/times, once daily | 3 | Cure rate, IIEF scores, adverse effects |
| Li et al (2018) [15] | T: 45, C: 45 | T: 45.26±4.17, C: 46.14±4.51 | ED with type-2 diabetes | EPAS plus control, 4 min/time for one acupoint, total 24 minutes, once daily | Tadalafil tablet, 5 mg/times, once daily | 4 | Cure rate, IIEF scores, adverse effects |
| Yu et al (2018) [30] | T: 20, C: 20 | T: 34.15±6.43, C: 36.25±5.25 | Psychogenic | MA plus control, 30 minutes, once daily | Sildenafil tablet, 12.5 mg/times, twice daily | 6 | Cure rate, IIEF scores |
“Cured” refers to patients who reported that their clinical symptoms disappeared, they had no problem with sexual activity, and/or with International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score was ≥22 [31]. ‘Markedly improved on erectile function’ refers to that all the three below items were met: the self-report disappearance of clinical symptoms, the erection angle of penis is more than 90 degrees in sexual activity, and the success rate of sexual intercourse is over 75%.
ED: erectile dysfunction, T: treatment group, C: control group, NR: not reported, EA: electro acupuncture, MA: manual acupuncture, AIHE: acupoint injection of herbal extract, EPAS: moderate—frequency electrical pulse acupoint stimulation, CHM: Chinese herbal medicine.
aValues are presented as number only. bValues are presented as mean±standard deviation, range, or mean only. cValues are presented as mean only, range only, or median (range).