24 May 2026 : Meta-Analysis
Utility of Acupuncture Therapy for Adult Chronic Daily Headache Prophylaxis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Yuxi Nie ABCDEFG 1, Ruiyi Jing ABCDEFG 2, Ziyi Song DEF 1, Hong Zheng DEG 1*DOI: 10.12659/MSM.952359
Med Sci Monit 2026; 32:e952359
Table 2 Baseline characteristics of included studies.
| Included studies | Country | Type of case | Diagnostic | Number of participants (male/female) | Age (mean±SD) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail | Control | Trail | Control | ||||
| Zhao et al, 2019 []22 | China | CM | ICHD-III beta | 5/15 | 6/14 | 35.6±6.1 | 40.0±11.6 |
| Zhao et al, 2018 []23 | China | CM | ICHD-III beta | 4/14 | 5/13 | 35.6±4.9 | 36.6±7.6 |
| Wu et al, 2022a []24 | China | CTTH | ICHD-III | 15/25 | 14/27 | 38.05±4.81 | 37.59±4.27 |
| Wu et al, 2022b []24 | China | CTTH | ICHD-III | 13/28 | 14/27 | 36.83±4.48 | 37.59±4.27 |
| Jin et al, 2015 []25 | China | CTTH | ICHD-II | 14/16 | 12/18 | 43.2±3.2 | 45.3±3.9 |
| Yang et al, 2011 []26 | Taiwan | CM | ICHD-II | 3/30 | 4/29 | 47.6±7.4 | 48.1±6.4 |
| Shi et al, 2025 []27 | China | CTTH | ICHD-III | 13/17 | 12/19 | 44.17±6.09 | 43.84±5.43 |
| Chen et al, 2022 []28 | China | CTTH | ICHD-III | 13/19 | 11/21 | 48.60±11.45 | 44.63±13.76 |
| Liu et al, 2024 []29 | China | CM | ICHD-III beta | 5/25 | 6/24 | 45.4±11.9 | 46.1±10.7 |
| Zhang et al, 2009 []30 | China | CTTH | ICHD-II | 27 | 23 | NA | NA |
| Liang et al, 2016 []31 | China | CM | ICHD-II | 11/19 | 10/20 | 46. 5 | 44. 5 |
| Qi et al, 2012 []32 | China | CDH | ICHD-II | 13/18 | 14/18 | 51.53±10.00 | 48.57±10.19 |
| Karst et al, 2000 []33 | Germany | CTTH | IHS | 13/8 | 7/11 | 47.3±16.5 | 50.4±13.5 |
| Chassot et al, 2015 []34 | Brazil | CTTH | ICHD-III beta | 0/17 | 0/17 | 39.11±10.5 | 41.44±10.5 |
| Wang et al, 2007 []35 | Denmark | CTTH | ICHD-II | 10/8 | 8/10 | F: 38.3±4.7M: 47.2±4.7 | F: 54.9±3.9M: 51.5±7.4 |
| Zheng et al, 2022 []36 | China | CTTH | ICHD-III | 28/82 | 33/75 | 43±12.5 | 43.2±12.8 |
| Zhang et al, 2018 []37 | China | CTTH | IHS | 11/20 | 9/22 | 41.71±12.55 | 43.17±13.75 |
| Lu et al, 2018 []38 | China | CTTH | IHS | 19/37 | 13/42 | 42.11±18.84 | 43.59±16.23 |
| Wang et al, 2016 []39 | China | CTTH | ICHD-II | 14/17 | 16/14 | 49.81±9.88 | 50.06±8.11 |
| Ebneshahidi et al, 2005 []40 | Iran | CTTH | NA | 5/20 | 5/20 | 33.0±1.8 | 38.6+7.0 |
| Mayrink et al, 2018 []41 | Brazil | CDH | NA | 17 | 17 | 35.5±11 | 40±10.5 |
| Safonov et al, 2017a []42 | Russia | CM | ICHD-III beta | 22 | 20 | NA | NA |
| Safonov et al, 2017b []42 | Russia | CM | ICHD-III beta | 20 | 20 | NA | NA |
| Wu et al, 2024 []43 | China | CM | NA | 6/24 | 9/21 | 43.97±20.78 | 42.53±19.23 |
| CDH – chronic daily headache; CM – chronic migraine; CTTH – chronic tension-type headache. | |||||||
| Included studies | Disease duration (mean±SD) | Interventions | Course of Treatment | Follow-Up | Outcome Index | ||
| Trail | Control | Trail | Control | ||||
| Zhao et al, 2019 []22 | 9.5±2.8 | 10.3±3.1 | Acupuncture | Flunarizine | 4w | 4w | ②④ |
| Zhao et al, 2018 []23 | 9.6±2.7 | 10.1±3.3 | Embedding needle | Flunarizine | 4w | 4w | ②④ |
| Wu et al, 2022a []24 | 5.16±2.84 | 5.68±3.04 | Acupuncture | Eperisone hydrochloride | 30d | 3m | ① |
| Wu et al, 2022b []24 | 5.45±3.00 | 5.68±3.04 | Dry Needlin | Eperisone hydrochloride | 30d | 3m | ① |
| Jin et al, 2015 []25 | 9.7±7.9 | 9.2±8.1 | 3-edged needle | Flupentixol and melitracen+ eperisone hydrochloride | 4w | NA | ③ |
| Yang et al, 2011 []26 | 13.2±3.5 | 13.5±4.5 | Acupuncture | Topiramate | 12w | NA | ②⑤ |
| Shi et al, 2025 []27 | 26.90±7.25m | 27.26±7.31m | Acupuncture | Amitriptyline | 4w | 4w | ③⑤ |
| Chen et al, 2022 []28 | 29.2±28.3m | 29.5±29.1m | Acupuncture | Flupentixol and melitracen | 4w | 4w | ②⑤ |
| Liu et al, 2024 []29 | NA | NA | Acupuncture+ topiramate placebo | Topiramate + sham acupuncture | 12w | 24w | ②④⑤ |
| Zhang et al, 2009 []30 | NA | NA | Acupuncture | Estazolam + sham acupuncture | 4w | 16w | ②④ |
| Liang et al, 2016 []31 | NA | NA | Acupuncture | Sham | 4w | NA | ① |
| Qi et al, 2012 []32 | NA | NA | Acupuncture | Sham | 8w | NA | ①③ |
| Karst et al, 2000 []33 | NA | NA | Acupuncture | Sham | 5w | 6w | ①③⑤ |
| Chassot et al, 2015 []34 | NA | NA | Electro-acupuncture | Sham | 5w | NA | ③⑤ |
| Wang et al, 2007 []35 | F: 9.4±1.0M: 14.3±3.9 | F: 20.5±3.9M: 19.6±8.5 | Electro-acupuncture | Sham | 4w | 6w | ①③ |
| Zheng et al, 2022 []36 | 131±131m | 129±121m | Acupuncture | Sham | 8w | 32w | ②③ |
| Zhang et al, 2018 []37 | 11.23±10.36 | 10.07±9.39 | Acupuncture | Sham | 8w | NA | ①③④ |
| Lu et al, 2018 []38 | 7.09±7.42 | 9.65±8.37 | Acupuncture | Sham | 8w | 32w | ②③④ |
| Wang et al, 2016 []39 | NA | NA | Laser needle | Sham | 8w | NA | ③④ |
| Ebneshahidi et al, 2005 []40 | NA | NA | Laser needle | Sham | 4w | 3m | ②③④ |
| Mayrink et al, 2018 []41 | NA | NA | Acupuncture + medicine | Medicine | 8w | NA | ①③⑤ |
| Safonov et al, 2017a []42 | NA | NA | Acupuncture + topiramate | Topiramate | 4w | 16w | ①③⑤ |
| Safonov et al, 2017b []42 | NA | NA | Electro-acupuncture + topiramate | Topiramate | 4w | 16w | ②③⑤ |
| Wu et al, 2024 []43 | 12.07±11.05 | 12.61±12.38 | Laser needle + medicine | Medicine | 4w | 12w | ①③④⑤ |
| CDH – chronic daily headache; CM – chronic migraine; CTTH – chronic tension-type headache. | |||||||