Durable effects of acupuncture for tension-type headache: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Acupuncture may be effective in treating tension-type headache (TTH). The durability of its effects after treatment completion remains inconclusive. We searched multiple databases and references from previous reviews for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which investigated the effectiveness of acu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Heliyon 2024-06, Vol.10 (11), p.e32174, Article e32174
Main Authors: Chen, He, Shi, Hangyu, Gao, Shuai, Fang, Jiufei, Liu, Xinkun, Liu, Zhishun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acupuncture
analgesics
durability
Durable effects
headache
Meta-analysis
Prevention
risk
systematic review
Tension-type headache
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Summary:Acupuncture may be effective in treating tension-type headache (TTH). The durability of its effects after treatment completion remains inconclusive. We searched multiple databases and references from previous reviews for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture for TTH. We assessed the methodological quality of RCTs using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB 2) tool. Primary outcome was response rate, defined as the proportion of participants who reported at least a 50% reduction in monthly headache days from baseline after completion of treatment. Secondary outcomes included headache days, headache intensity, and analgesic use. Safety outcomes were also evaluated. A total of seven RCTs involving 3,221 participants with frequent episodic and chronic TTH were included. Individuals receiving acupuncture reported a significantly higher response rate versus sham acupuncture (SA) immediately and at 1–6 months after completion of treatment (P
ISSN:2405-8440
2405-8440
DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32174