An Acupuncture Protocol for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: A Delphi Process

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
• Urology

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a growing global health concern.
• Acupuncture, a TCM therapy, is traditionally used for ED, but lacks a standardized protocol.
• Existing research shows significant diversity in acupuncture treatments for ED.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an expert consensus for a best-practice acupuncture treatment protocol for ED.
• To address the urgent need for standardization in acupuncture therapy for ED.
• To provide a foundation for developing high-quality clinical studies on acupuncture for ED.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi process involving 11 acupuncture experts was conducted.
• Four rounds of closed and open-ended questionnaires were used.
• The therapeutic aim was defined as achieving sufficient erection for sexual satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Consensus was reached on 24 acupoints and 12 TCM syndromes, including Kidney Yang deficiency and Liver Qi stagnation.
• The optimal treatment dosage was determined to be 11-15 sessions, administered once or twice weekly.
• Identified inconsistencies in TCM syndrome diagnostic criteria.

Conclusions:

• A semi-standardized, expert-consensus-based best-practice acupuncture protocol for ED was developed.
• This protocol serves as a starting point for standardized ED treatment with acupuncture.
• Further research with diverse experts is recommended to refine TCM syndrome definitions and enhance treatment agreement.