ArticleAnnals of translational medicine2019
Using meta-regression approach to explore the dose-response association between acupuncture sessions and acupuncture effects on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Article in Annals of translational medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and influencing factors of acupuncture in major depressive disorder: a systematic review and exploratory network meta-analysis.CNS spectrums · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of ephedra-containing oral medications: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and exploratory dose-response analysis for weight reduction.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Pooled it
- Comparative effectiveness of acupuncture and Tuina for cervical vertigo: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Use of Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies Before Intensive Functional Restoration in Active Duty Service Members with Chronic Pain.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2022Trial
- Effects of Electroacupuncture with Different Waveforms on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Contrast media & molecular imaging · 2022Trial
- Review
- Novel avatar-based video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment for chronic low back pain: a randomised controlled trial in the USA.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Acupuncture Dosage and Its Correlation with Effectiveness in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
- Article
- The methodological quality assessment of systematic reviews/meta-analyses of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome using AMSTAR2.BMC medical research methodology · 2023Article
- Effect of important modifiers on harmful effects in evidence synthesis practice of adverse events were insufficiently investigated: an empirical investigation.BMC medical research methodology · 2023Article
- Article
- The Efficacy and Safety of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy versus Acupuncture in the Management of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: Evidence Based on a Network Meta-analysis.American journal of men's healthArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe benefits of acupuncture on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) have been well established according to previous studies. However, uncertainty exists regarding the dose-response relationship between acupuncture sessions and acupuncture effects for CP/CPPS. The objective of this study is to explore the association between the acupuncture sessions and its effects based on previously published data.
methodsA non-linear meta-regression approach with restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to investigate the dose-response relationship between acupuncture sessions and its effects on the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI). PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched up to May 20, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and case series studies (CSSs) reported the treatment sessions of acupuncture for CP/CPPS with at least two categories were eligible for inclusion.
resultsTen studies involving 329 participants were included, the results showed a J-shaped dose-response association between acupuncture sessions and NIH-CPSI score (range 0 to 43, with higher score indicating greater CP/CPPS symptoms). Overall, more acupuncture sessions received for CP/CPPS patients is associated with increased symptom relieving. After 6 acupuncture sessions, the NIH-CPSI decreased from 26.1 (95% CI: 25.3-27.0) to 18.5 (95% CI: 11.6-25.4), with a between-session difference of -7.6 (95% CI: -14.6 to -0.7). Considering the 95%CI, both robust-error meta-regression modeling [MD: -8.3 (95% CI: -10.4 to -6.3)] and sensitivity analysis without CSSs [MD: -8.1 (95% CI: -9.5 to -6.7)] demonstrated that 18 acupuncture sessions could reach a clinically meaningful improvement regarding NIH-CPSI score.
conclusionsThere appear to be dose-response relationship between acupuncture sessions and CP/CPPS outcome. Prolonged acupuncture sessions were associated with less NIH-CPSI score. According to current evidence, six acupuncture sessions might be the minimal required 'dose' to reach its clinical effects.
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