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Research

Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial

Ying Li, Hui Zheng, Claudia M. Witt, Stephanie Roll, Shu-guang Yu, Jie Yan, Guo-jie Sun, Ling Zhao, Wen-jing Huang, Xiao-rong Chang, Hong-xing Zhang, De-jun Wang, Lei Lan, Ran Zou and Fan-rong Liang
CMAJ March 06, 2012 184 (4) 401-410; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.110551
Ying Li
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Hui Zheng
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Claudia M. Witt
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Stephanie Roll
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Shu-guang Yu
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Jie Yan
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Guo-jie Sun
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Ling Zhao
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Wen-jing Huang
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Xiao-rong Chang
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Hong-xing Zhang
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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De-jun Wang
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Lei Lan
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Ran Zou
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Fan-rong Liang
From the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Li, Zheng, Yu, Zhao, Huang, Liang), Chengdu, Sichuan, China; the Institute for Social Medicine (Witt, Roll, Huang), Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; the Center for Integrative Medicine (Witt), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yan, Chang, Lan), Changsha, Hunan, China; and Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sun, Zhang, Zou), Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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  • For correspondence: acuresearch@126.com
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Abstract

Background: Acupuncture is commonly used to treat migraine. We assessed the efficacy of acupuncture at migraine-specific acupuncture points compared with other acupuncture points and sham acupuncture.

Methods: We performed a multicentre, single-blind randomized controlled trial. In total, 480 patients with migraine were randomly assigned to one of four groups (Shaoyang-specific acupuncture, Shaoyang-nonspecific acupuncture, Yangming-specific acupuncture or sham acupuncture [control]). All groups received 20 treatments, which included electrical stimulation, over a period of four weeks. The primary outcome was the number of days with a migraine experienced during weeks 5–8 after randomization. Our secondary outcomes included the frequency of migraine attack, migraine intensity and migraine-specific quality of life.

Results: Compared with patients in the control group, patients in the acupuncture groups reported fewer days with a migraine during weeks 5–8, however the differences between treatments were not significant (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the number of days with a migraine during weeks 13–16 in all acupuncture groups compared with control (Shaoyang-specific acupuncture v. control: difference –1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) –1.77 to –0.5], p = 0.003; Shaoyang-nonspecific acupuncture v. control: difference –1.22 [95% CI –1.92 to –0.52], p < 0.001; Yangming-specific acupuncture v. control: difference –0.91 [95% CI –1.61 to –0.21], p = 0.011). We found that there was a significant, but not clinically relevant, benefit for almost all secondary outcomes in the three acupuncture groups compared with the control group. We found no relevant differences between the three acupuncture groups.

Interpretation: Acupuncture tested appeared to have a clinically minor effect on migraine prophylaxis compared with sham acupuncture.

Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00599586

See related commentary by Molsberger and colleagues on page 391 and at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.112032 and research article by Smelt and colleagues on page E224 and at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.110908

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Canadian Medical Association Journal: 184 (4)
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Vol. 184, Issue 4
6 Mar 2012
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Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial
Ying Li, Hui Zheng, Claudia M. Witt, Stephanie Roll, Shu-guang Yu, Jie Yan, Guo-jie Sun, Ling Zhao, Wen-jing Huang, Xiao-rong Chang, Hong-xing Zhang, De-jun Wang, Lei Lan, Ran Zou, Fan-rong Liang
CMAJ Mar 2012, 184 (4) 401-410; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.110551

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Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial
Ying Li, Hui Zheng, Claudia M. Witt, Stephanie Roll, Shu-guang Yu, Jie Yan, Guo-jie Sun, Ling Zhao, Wen-jing Huang, Xiao-rong Chang, Hong-xing Zhang, De-jun Wang, Lei Lan, Ran Zou, Fan-rong Liang
CMAJ Mar 2012, 184 (4) 401-410; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.110551
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