Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42895011›Full record

Observational studyJournal of oral & facial pain and headache2026

Clinical outcomes and safety of Five Element Acupuncture for preventive treatment of primary headache disorders: a multi-center real-world longitudinal observational study.

Shuo Cui, Yaping Liu, Jingjing Wang, Wenqian Ma, Zhenshan Luo, Ziwei Song, Zhongjie Chen, Jincao Zhou, Yuying Wang, Qianfeng Huang and 12 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of oral & facial pain and headache, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Shuo Cui *Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Yaping Liu *Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Jingjing WangInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Wenqian MaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Zhenshan LuoInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Ziwei SongInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Zhongjie ChenInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Jincao ZhouInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700 Beijing, China.
Yuying WangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 230031 Hefei, Anhui, China.
Qianfeng HuangHenan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, 450014 Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Chao YuKaixin TCM Clinic, 100194 Beijing, China.
Yanping CheTongyou Sanhe Jinhai Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, 201206 Shanghai, China.
Zhishuai LiuBinzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 256613 Binzhou, Shandong, China.
Yaoci SongJinshan Township Health Center, 165111 Huma County, Greater Khingan Range Prefecture, Heilongjiang, China.
Yuqing YinTianjin Yuze Tang TCM Clinic, 300110 Tianjin, China.
Ruijuan LiuNo. 208 Brigade of Nuclear Industry (Bohua Hospital of Baotou), 014010 Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Huan WangBeijing Tongyousanhe Futai TCM Clinic, 100102 Beijing, China.
Dehua TianChengdu Tianrentang TCM Clinic, 610051 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Fuyang XianBeijing Zhengxintang TCM Clinic, 100010 Beijing, China.
Xiaohui ZhanShenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 518033 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Jiping LiShenfu TCM Studio, 101300 Beijing, China.
Shengyuan ZhouShengyuan Five Element Acupuncture Studio, 450000 Zhengzhou, Henan, China.

Funding

Independent Project of the Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences ZZCZ2025-036 and ZZ20211811Innovation Project of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences CI2021A03510
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo observe the real-world association of Five Element Acupuncture (FEA) with symptom improvement when used for the preventive treatment of primary headache disorders.

methodsThis prospective case series study was conducted across multiple centers in China. Patients diagnosed with migraine, tension-type headache (TTH), or trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, Third Edition (ICHD-3), received standardized FEA treatment once every 1-2 weeks for 12 weeks, followed by a 12-week follow-up. Outcomes included headache days per 4 weeks, headache frequency, headache intensity (visual analog scale, VAS), total analgesic units, and headache-related quality of life (Headache Impact Test-6, HIT-6). Safety was assessed by recording acupuncture-related adverse events (AEs). Linear mixed models were used for analysis.

resultsNinety-three participants were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Headache days were significantly reduced from baseline to the 12-week treatment (

conclusionsThis real-world exploratory observational study suggests that FEA is associated with significant improvements in headache days, headache frequency, headache intensity, analgesic use, and quality of life, with sustained effects noted during follow-up. These findings provide preliminary observational evidence that may inform the design of future randomized controlled trials. CLINICAL

trial registrationRegistration No.: ChiCTR2200061878.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyHeadache Disorders, PrimaryAdultChinaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementProspective StudiesQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeFive Element AcupuncturePrimary headachePsychosomatic conditionsReal-world study

Identifiers

PMID42895011
PMCPMC13678558

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.