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Published on: March 6, 2018
Acupuncture for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Wei Zhang1, Liyan Ma2, Brent A Bauer3
1Department of Acupuncture, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Plos One
|April 5, 2017
Summary
Acupuncture shows short-term benefits for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms and urinary flow. Further research is needed to confirm long-term clinical significance in BPH management.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Urology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition affecting aging men.
- Current BPH treatments have potential side effects.
- Acupuncture is explored as a complementary therapy for symptomatic BPH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for BPH.
- To assess the therapeutic and adverse effects of acupuncture in men with BPH.
Main Methods:
- Searched multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, etc.) for parallel-group RCTs.
- Included studies focused on men with symptomatic BPH.
- Extracted data and analyzed using RevMan 5.3.5, with primary outcome as change in urological symptoms.
Main Results:
- Eight RCTs involving 661 men were included.
- Short-term (4-6 weeks) acupuncture significantly improved International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Qmax.
- Medium-term follow-up (12-18 weeks) showed no significant effect on IPSS.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture demonstrates statistically significant short-term benefits for moderate to severe BPH symptoms.
- The clinical significance of these short-term improvements requires further investigation.
- More rigorous RCTs with longer follow-up are needed to validate acupuncture's role in BPH treatment.
