Acupuncture for chronic prostatitis: A randomized controlled trial☆针刺治疗慢性前列腺炎:随机对照研究

ABSTRACT Objective: To explore whether there is a specific clinical effect of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Methods: A total of 52 patients with chronic prostatitis were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (24 cases) and a placebo acupuncture group (28 cases). During the treatment, 1 case was dropped out in the placebo acupuncture group and 51 patients accomplished the clinical trial finally in two groups. In the acupuncture group, Shenshū (肾俞BL23), Zhōngliao (中髎BL33), Huiyang (会阳BL35) and Sānyīnjiāo (三阴交SP6) were selected. In the placebo acupuncture group, the non-meridian points located lateral to BL23, BL33, BL35 and SP6 were selected respectively. The duration of treatment was 8 weeks in each group. In the first 4 weeks of treatment, the treatment was given once every two days, three times weekly. In the last 4 weeks of treatment, the treatment was given once every three days, twice a week. Totally, 20 acupuncture treatments were required in the whole trial. Before treatment, in week 4 and 8 of treatment and in follow-up, National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score and the comprehensive effect were evaluated in the two groups successively. Results: In week 4 and 8 of treatment, NIH-CPSI score in the acupuncture group was lower than that before treatment respectively (both P Conclusion: Acupuncture relieves pelvic pain and urination symptoms and has a certain of long-term effect in patients with chronic prostatitis.