Table 1.
Characteristics of the included studies.
| References | Sample size | ASIA grade | Intervention protocol | Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The course of SCI onset | Gender(M/F) |
Average age
(years) |
Control group | Experimental group | ||||
| Zhu et al. (27) | C:20; E:20 |
– | C:(4.92 ± 2.46) m; E:(5.60 ± 3.12) m |
C:14/6; E:13/7 |
C:44.23 ± 11.67; E:45.85 ± 12.16 |
CT (not very clear) +EA (EA at bilateral Huiyang (BL35) and Ciliao (BL32); treatment duration was 30 min, 6 times per week for 4 weeks) | CT +EA (consistent with the control group) +MOX (heat-sensitive MOX at the sacral and caudal regions, 6 times per week for 4 weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Zhao (28) | C:20; E:20 |
BCD | C:(3.72 ± 1.44) m; E:(3.21 ± 1.35) m |
C:15/5; E:16/4 |
C:40 ± 8; E:35 ± 9 |
CT (routine rehabilitation) +EA (EA at Jiaji (EX-B2); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 50 consecutive days) | CT +EA (EA at Jiaji (EX-B2)) +MOX (needle warming MOX at Jiaji (EX-B2)) | CER, RUV |
| Zhang et al. (29) | C:34; E:34 |
BCD | C:(2.8 ± 1.1) m; E:(2.7 ± 1.3) m |
C:28/6; E:26/8 |
C:39 ± 6; E:39 ± 5 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +MOX (herb-partitioned MOX at Shenque (CV8), Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV6), and Zhongji (CV3); treatment duration was 30 min, 7 times per week for 8 weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Wang et al. (32) | C:30; E:30 |
BCD | C:(28.1 ± 15.6) d; E:(26.5 ± 14.9) d |
C:18/12; E:16/14 |
C:42.3 ± 6.7; E:43.3 ± 5.7 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) + MA (MA at Pangguangshu (BL28), Guanyuan (CV4), and Zhongji (CV3); treatment duration was 20 min, once a day for 20 consecutive days) | CT (consistent with the control group) +MOX (heat-sensitive MOX at Pangguangshu (BL28), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), once a day for 20 consecutive days) | CER |
| Tong et al. (34) | C:30; E:28 |
BC | C:(44.03 ± 8.33) d; E:(43.34 ± 9.12) d |
C:19/11; E:18/12 |
C:36.20 ± 5.09: E:32.5 ± 8.6 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +EA (EA at Zhongji (CV3), Guanyuan (CV4), and Sanyinjiao (SP6); treatment duration was 30 min, 6 times per week for 8 weeks) | RUV |
| Sheng et al. (37) | C:30; E:30 |
BCD | C:(2.8 ± 1.1) m; E:(2.6 ± 1.2) m |
C:18/12; E:16/14 |
C:45.2 ± 3.5; E:45.3 ± 1.4 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +MOX (herb-partitioned MOX at Shenque (CV8), Guanyuan (CV4), treatment duration was 30 min, 7 times per week for 8 weeks) | RUV |
| Li et al. (41) | C:35; E:35 |
BCD | – | C:20/15; E:22/13 |
C:33.8 ± 2.6; E:36.8 ± 1.5 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +WAA (bilateral Ankole region) +MOX (ginger-separated MOX at Zhongji (CV3), once a day for 20 consecutive days) | CER, RUV |
| Gao and Cai (50) | C:30; E:30 |
BCD | – | C:22/8; E:18/12 |
C:36.8 ± 2.9; E:35.8 ± 1.3 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +MOX (gentle MOX at Zhongji (CV3), Guanyuan (CV4), Shuifen (CV9)) | CER, RUV |
| Yang et al. (30) | C:20; E:20 |
ABCD | C:(3.0 ± 1.1) m; E:(3.1 ± 1.3) m |
C:16/4; E:17/3 |
C:29.1 ± 5.6; E:28.9 ± 5.1 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +MOX (herb-partitioned MOX at Shenque (CV8), twice a week for 8 weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Wu et al. (31) | C:64; E:68 |
ABCD | C:(14.3 ± 4.4) m; E:(13.6 ± 3.9) m |
C:39/25; E:41/27 |
C:31.4 ± 8.5; E:29.7 ± 17. 4 |
CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT+EA (EA at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Qugu (CV2), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Baliao (BL31-34), Yinlingquan (SP9), Pangguangshu (BL28), and Shenshu (BL23); treatment duration was 20 min, 6 times per week for 2 weeks) | CER |
| Wang et al. (33) | C:18; E:18 |
– | C:(12~41) d; E:(11~41) d | C:16/2; E:15/3 |
C:48.6 ± 10.0; E:47.5 ± 10.2 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT+multiple acupuncture (Morning: MA at Guanyuan (CV4) Afternoon: EA at Zhongliao (BL33); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 10 consecutive days) | CER |
| Su (35) | C:34; E:32 |
BCD | C: ≤ 4 w; E: ≤ 4 w |
– | – | CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT+MA (Zhibian (BL54) toward the direction of Shuidao (ST28); treatment duration was 30 min, once every other day for 30 days) | CER, RUV |
| Su (36) | C:31; E:31 |
ABCD | C:(35.67 ± 8.29) d; E:(36.12 ± 4.83) d |
C:26/5; E:24/7 |
C:41.87 ± 13.88; E:40.25 ± 14.06 |
CT (not very clear) +Drug (3 mg neostigmine, once a day for 6 consecutive days) | CT+EA (EA at Baliao (BL31-34); treatment duration was 30–40 min, 6 times per week for 2–3weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Ma (38) | C:31; E:30 |
AB | C:(67.61 ± 17.04) d; E:(66.20 ± 13.14) d |
C:21/10; E:22/8 |
C:34.48 ± 9.04; E:34.23 ± 9.62 |
CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT +MOX (herb-partitioned MOX at Shenque (CV8), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Zusanli (ST36), Mingmen (GV 4), Shenshu (BL23), and Pangguangshu (BL28); treatment duration was 20 min, 6 times per week for 5 weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Luo (39) | C:30; E:30 |
ABCD | C:(3.12 ± 0.81) m; E:(3.56 ± 0.79) m |
C:13/17; E:16/14 |
C:40.25 ± 5.12; E:39.87 ± 5.61 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT +MA (MA at Zhongji (CV3), Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), Guilai (ST29), Shuidao (ST28), Yinlingquan (SP9), and Sanyinjiao (SP6); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 28 days) | CER, RUV |
| Li et al. (40) | C:30; E:30 |
– | – | – | – | CT (catheterization) | CT +multiple acupuncture (Morning: MA at Guanyuan (CV4), Afternoon: EA at Ciliao (BL32), and Zhongliao (BL33); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 10 days) | CER |
| Kuang et al. (42) | C:30; E:30 |
– | – | C:21/9; E:19/11 |
C:44.7 ± 3.9; E:45.1 ± 3.7 |
CT (intermittent catheterization and bladder training) | CT+MOX (box MOX at Shenque (CV8), Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV6), Zhongji (CV3), Shenshu (BL23), Weizhong (BL40), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Zusanli (ST36); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 30 days) | CER, RUV |
| Jiang et al. (43) | C:25; E:26 |
– | (7.42 ± 5.13) m | 28/23 | 36.20 ± 8.64 | CT (not very clear) +WNM (WNM at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), and Ciliao (BL32), the treatment duration was 40 min, once a day for 60 days) | CT+MOX (heat-sensitive MOX at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), and Ciliao (BL32); treatment duration was 40 min, once a day for 60 days) | CER |
| Huo et al. (44) | C:30; E:30 |
– | – | C:25/5; E:26/4 |
C:34.62 ± 1.85; E:36.78 ± 2.32 |
CT (routine rehabilitation) | CT +AP (AP at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Yinlingquan (SP9), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Shenshu (BL23), and Pangguangshu (BL28), once a day for 7 consecutive days) | CER, RUV |
| Hu and Wang (45) | C:44; E:45 |
– | (1–4) m | C:23/21; E:25/20 |
C:36.1; E:35.3 |
CT (intermittent catheterization) +Drug (0.5–1 mg neostigmine, once a day for 7 consecutive days) | CT+MA (MA at Shenshu (BL23), Ciliao (BL32), Yinlingquan (SP9), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Zhongji (CV3); treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 7 consecutive days) | CER |
| Hou et al. (46) | C:32; E:32 |
– | C:(8.84 ± 2.94) d; E:(8.31 ± 2. 51) d |
C:22/10; E:25/7 |
C:41 ± 9.36; E:40.53 ± 10.76 |
CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT +DSQP (the treatment duration was 30 min, once a day for 7 consecutive days) +MOX (herb-partitioned MOX at Shenque (CV8), once a day for 30 days) | CER, RUV |
| Guo (47) | C:30; E:30 | A | – | 46/14 | – | CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT+EA (EA at Shuidao (ST28), Yinlingquan (SP9), Ciliao (BL32), and Pangguangshu (BL28); treatment duration was 30 min, 6 times per week for 6 weeks) | CER, RUV |
| Gao et al. (48) | C:30; E:32 |
BCD | C:(46.03 ± 8.33) d E:(48.34 ± 10.12) d |
C:16/14; E:15/17 |
C:35.20 ± 8.12; E:37.20 ± 7.09 |
CT (voiding and bladder training) | CT+MA (MA at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and Mingmen (GV 4); treatment duration was 30 min, 6 times per week for 8 weeks) | RUV |
| Gao et al. (49) | C:30; E:30 |
BCD | C:(33.57 ± 17.89) d; E:(35.17 ± 15.48) d |
C:17/13; E:14/16 |
C:45.2 ± 11.43; E:43.7 ± 10.89 |
CT (voiding and bladder training) | CT+EA (EA at Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and Mingmen (GV 4); treatment duration was 30 min, 6 times per week for 4 weeks) | RUV |
| Bu et al. (51) | C:32; E:34 |
ABCD | C:(10 ± 4.8) d; E:(11 ± 3.9) d |
C:28/4; E:29/5 |
C:37.4 ± 16.3; E:38.2 ±15.1 |
CT (intermittent catheterization) | CT+AA (AA at bladder, ureter, kidney, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbosacral spine point; treatment duration was 30–60 min, 20 times for 25 days) | CER, RUV |
| Gu et al. (11) | C:35; EA:34; SA:38 |
BCD | C:(22.2 ± 2.4) d EA:(25.8 ± 2.4) d SA:(25.5 ± 2.5) d |
– | C:40.6 ± 9.8; EA:39.6 ± 7.6 SA:40.75 ± 12.5 |
CT (behavioral interventions, such as fluid schedules and regular voiding attempts, clean intermittent catheterization) | CT+EA (EA at Shangliao (BL31), Xialiao (BL34); treatment duration was 20 min) SA (the needle was taped to the dermal surface of Baliao (BL31-34) using an adhesive tape without insertion, serving as a mock EA therapeutic instrument) |
RUV |
C, control group; E, experimental group; m, month; d, day; w, week; CT, conventional therapy; EA, electro-acupuncture; MOX, moxibustion; WNM, warm needle moxibustion; AA, auricular acupuncture; AP, acupoint patching; DSQP, Dong Shi Qi point; MA: manual acupuncture; WAA, wrist-ankle acupuncture; SA, sham acupuncture; RUV, residual urine volume; CER, clinical effective rate.