Research Links & Sources for Various Conditions

Changes in serum cortisol and prolactin associated with acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment.

Magarelli PC et al. (2009)
Fertil Steril. 2009 Dec;92(6):1870-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.067. Epub 2008 Dec 31.

Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Stener-Victorin E. et al. (2000)
Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2000 Mar;79(3):180-8.

Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture.

Stener-Victorin E. et al. (1996)
Hum Reprod. 1996 Jun;11(6):1314-7.

Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.

Jian P. et al. (2005)
Fertil Steril. 2005 Jul;84(1):141-7.

Acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30658892

Anxiety

Evidence based acupuncture document containing information on acupuncture for anxiety etc.

https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/present-research/acupuncture-anxiety/ (Includes further research links)

Depression

Acupuncture and counselling for depression in primary care. A RCT.

PLOS article 2013 (MacPherson)
Both acupuncture and counselling significantly helped depression patients - by about the same amount as each other. 755 patients. Acupuncture or counselling helped speed up improvement in PHQ-9 scores (Patient Health Questionaire) in patients who also received conventional medicine treatments (eg antidepressants). UK based high quality trial. Randomised to one of 3 groups - Acup+meds, Couns+meds & meds only. Patients had moderate to severe depression. Acupuncture or counselling can help 'kickstart' antidepressant effects in the short to medium term.

http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001518#abstract2

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24086114

The efficacy of Acupuncture for treating depression related insomnia compared with a control group: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Biomed Research Intl 2017 Feb.
A meta analysis of 18 RCT's shows that acupuncture helps PSQI score (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) in depression related insomnia. Acupuncture proved to be more effective than medicines. Both acupuncture and medicines had similar effects on HAMD scores (Hamilton depression scale). The number of patients was 1678 (908 women, 641 men). Acupuncture + medicines proved better than medicines alone on improving depression scores. “Acupuncture combined with medicine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28286776

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329663/ (Full Text.)

The Efficacy of Acupuncture for Treating Depression-Related Insomnia Compared with a Control Group: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2017 Biomed Research Intl.
Conclusion. “This systematic review indicates that acupuncture could be an alternative therapy to medication for treating depression-related insomnia.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329663/

Acupuncture boosts effectiveness of standard medical care for chronic pain, depression

2017 Science Daily published study.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130083228.h

The benefit of combined acupuncture and antidepressant medication for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2015. Elsevier paper shows adding acup to antidepressant therapy is  effective. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016503271500052X

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in depressive disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

2010. The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture as monotherapy and as an additional therapy in treating various depressive conditions, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-stroke depression (PSD).The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in depressive disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032709003115

Acupuncture for anxiety and anxiety disorders – a systematic literature review

2007. Conclusions Positive findings are reported for acupuncture in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder or anxiety neurosis but there is currently insufficient research evidence for firm conclusions to be drawn. No trials of acupuncture for other anxiety disorders were located. There is some limited evidence in favour of auricular acupuncture in perioperative anxiety. Overall, the promising findings indicate that further research is warranted in the form of well designed, adequately powered studies.
http://aim.bmj.com/content/25/1-2/1.short

Acupuncture for Treating Anxiety and Depression in Women: A Clinical Systematic Review

2013. ConclusionsWith respect to six reviewed studies, there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.

Acupuncture Treatment for Women With Concurrent Substance Use and Anxiety/Depression: An Effective Alternative Therapy?

2007 study published in Family & community Health Journal
286 patients in trial. “It was found that auricular acupuncture, as an adjunct therapy to a comprehensive psychoeducational treatment program for women with addictions, shows promise in being an effective, more viable treatment alternative to anxiolytics.”
http://journals.lww.com/familyandcommunityhealth/Abstract/2007/04000/Acupuncture_Treatment_for_Women_With_Concurrent.4.aspx

Role of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression

2009 Psychiatric Times article
Talks about acups effects on endorphins serotonin & dopamine etc. Looks at acup compared to ECT and antidepressants.
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/depression/role-acupuncture-treatment-depression

Acupuncture in patients with minor depressive episodes and generalized anxiety. Results of an experimental study

2000. Small, but good study shows acup good for Anxiety and minor depression but needs 10 treatments to 'kick-in'. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10758845

Effects of Acupuncture on Anxiety Levels and Prefrontal Cortex Activity Measured by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: A Pilot Study

2016 Small study (10 patients) but interesting because it measures with Infrared spectroscopy https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4939-3023-4_37

Effects of acupuncture on the symptoms of anxiety and depression caused by premenstrual dysphoric disorder

2013. BMJ article on 30 women with Anxiety & depression associated with menstruation. Showed an effective drop of almost 60% following acup. http://aim.bmj.com/content/31/4/358.short

Acupuncture and Counselling for Depression in Primary Care: A Randomised Controlled Trial

2013. Hugh McPherson study shows that adding either acupuncture or counselling to usual care (antidepressants) significantly helps – by about the same amount. Study focussed on moderate to severe depression. http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001518

Acupuncture for Stress and Depression? Yes, Please!

2015 Psychology Today article written by an acupuncturist.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/renaissance-woman/201509/acupuncture-stress-and-depression-yes-please

Acupuncture treatment for anxiety and depression

2017. Webpage of ATCM - uk acupuncturists group. https://www.atcm.co.uk/acupuncture-treatment-for-anxiety-and-depression

There are some very interesting studies now available showing acupunctures effectiveness for painful conditions and also giving insight into how it works and how long the effects can last for etc. I've listed a few here but if you want more check out the PubMed site.

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

This 2018 study is based on data from 20,827 patients from 39 RCT's and published in the official journal of the American Pain Society. It concludes “Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal, headache, and osteoarthritis pain. Treatment effects of acupuncture persist over time and cannot be explained solely in terms of placebo effects. Referral for a course of acupuncture treatment is a reasonable option for a patient with chronic pain.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29198932

Acupuncture for the prevention of Tension-Type headache

Cochrane systematic review- 2016. 12 RCT's reviewed with 2349 patients. Found that 48% had a reduction in headache frequency of at least 50%, compared to those in the 'usual care' group (e.g. medicines) who had a 17% reduction.The results of the acupuncture were still present after 6 months. True acupuncture proved better than placebo acupuncture*. Conclusion “The available results suggest that acupuncture is effective for treating frequent episodic or chronic tension-type headaches...”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27092807

* The whole topic of placebo acupuncture is difficult, as is the case with placebo surgery or placebo physiotherapy. This is why in previous trials the difference between placebo and real acupuncture seems small – even though both are effective. However this current review shows that there is a real difference. In fact placebo acupuncture is not a good 'control' and tends to have a genuine therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine

Cochrane review 2016.
22 RCT's reviewed with 4985 patients. Found that 59% had a reduction of at least 50% in frequency at 6 months. Treatment with acupuncture proved to be at least as effective as treatment with prophylactic medicines. Conclusion “The available evidence suggests that adding acupuncture to symptomatic treatment of attacks reduces the frequency of headaches.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27351677

The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain.

Ref. Pain. 2017 May;158(5):784-793. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000747.
Review of 29 RCT's with 17922 patients.Conclusion: “The effects of a course of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain do not seem to decrease importantly over 12 months.” “The central estimate suggests that approximately 90% of the benefit of acupuncture relative to controls would be sustained at 12 months”.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27764035

Acupuncture vs intravenous morphine in the management of acute pain in the ED.

This study looked at acupuncture Vs morphine in an Accident and Emergency room with 300 patients. Acupuncture proved to be better at controlling the pain, quicker to take effect, and had much fewer side effects.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27475042

Acupuncture for the prevention of Tension-Type headache

Cochrane systematic review- 2016.
12 RCT’s reviewed with 2349 patients. Found that 48% had a reduction in headache frequency of at least 50%, compared to those in the ‘usual care’ group (e.g. medicines) who had a 17% reduction. The results of the acupuncture were still present after 6 months. True acupuncture proved better than placebo acupuncture*. Conclusion “The available results suggest that acupuncture is effective for treating frequent episodic or chronic tension-type headaches…”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27092807

* The whole topic of placebo acupuncture is difficult, as is the case with placebo surgery or placebo physiotherapy. This is why in previous trials the difference between placebo and real acupuncture seems small – even though both are effective. However this current review shows that there is a real difference. In fact placebo acupuncture is not a good ‘control’ and tends to have a genuine therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine.

Cochrane review 2016.
22 RCT’s reviewed with 4985 patients. Found that 59% had a reduction of at least 50% in frequency at 6 months. Treatment with acupuncture proved to be at least as effective as treatment with prophylactic medicines. Conclusion “The available evidence suggests that adding acupuncture to symptomatic treatment of attacks reduces the frequency of headaches.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27351677

The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain.

Ref. Pain. 2017 May;158(5):784-793. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000747.
Review of 29 RCT’s with 17922 patients. Conclusion: “The effects of a course of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain do not seem to decrease importantly over 12 months.” “The central estimate suggests that approximately 90% of the benefit of acupuncture relative to controls would be sustained at 12 months”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27764035

Management of Menopause Symptoms with Acupuncture: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29298078

Acupuncture to Reduce Sleep Disturbances in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26855097

Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life in women in natural menopause: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25003620

Research into acupunctures role in these areas is coming on stream quickly and for example a recent paper which was published in one medical journal stated that There are high-quality randomized controlled trials that demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness for acupuncture in the treatment of both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis ref. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Jun;23(3):216-20. doi: 10.1097/MOO.0000000000000161.

Another journal, The Expert review of Clinical Immunology stated that “Acupuncture plays an increasingly important role as an evidence-based therapy for allergy relief and can be recommended as adjunct therapy for allergic rhinitis. ref: Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2014 Jul;10(7):831-41. doi: 10.1586/1744666X.2014.924855. Epub 2014 May 31.