Acupuncture in migraine prophylaxis in Czech patients: an open-label randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Table 1 Selection of acupuncture points

Syndromes	Mandatory acupuncture points	Optional acupuncture points (bilateral) by syndrome
Ascending hyperactivity of liver yang	Fengchi (GB20) Taiyang (EX-HN5) Shuai Gu (GB8)	Baihui (DU20), Xingjian (LR2), Taichong (LR3), Taixi (KI3), Xuanzhong (GB39), and Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Deficiency of both Qi and blood	Hegu (LI4)	Baihui (DU20), Shang Xing (DU23), Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Wind phlegm blocking the meridians		Feng Long (ST40), Zhongwan (CV12), and Yinlingquan (SP9)
Blood stasis		Sanyinjiao (SP6), Xuehai (SP10), and Ashi point

Figure 1 Flow diagram.

Table 2 Baseline sociodemographic characteristics

Characteristics	Acupuncture group (n=42)	Control group (n=44)
Age (years)
Mean (SD)	45.6 (12.8)	46.5 (10.3)
Median	47	47.5
Female, n (%)	37 (88)	39 (89)
Positive family history of migraine, n (%)	24 (57)	29 (66)
Duration of migraine (years)
Mean (SD)	26.9 (12.9)	23.0 (14.1)
Median	27.5	20.0
Syndrome, n (%)
Deficiency of both Qi and blood	9 (21.4)	10 (22.7)
Blood stasis	7 (16.7)	7 (15.9)
Ascending hyperactivity of liver yang	13 (31.0)	11 (25.0)
Wind phlegm blocking the meridians	13 (31.0)	16 (36.4)
Comorbidity, n (%)	23 (54.8)	23 (52.3)
Smokers, n (%)	9 (21)	5 (11)
Migraine days
Frequency (n per month)	11.97 (6.6)	12.1 (9.2)
Duration (hours)	12.2 (15.3)	10 (11.4)
Intensity, VAS (mm)	5.2 (1.3)	5.4 (1.8)
Drug consumption, (ATC/DDD)	14.8 (14.3)	11.5 (11.8)
Migraine attack (n per month)	6.4 (2.4)	6.0 (2.7)
MIDAS score	48.9 (38.1)	52.9 (31.9)
MIDAS severity, n (%)
Little	1.0 (2.4)	0.0 (0.0)
Mild	1.0 (2.4)	0.0 (0.0)
Moderate	5.0 (11.9)	4.0 (9.1)
Severe	24.0 (57.1)	28.0 (63.6)

Note: Data shown as mean (SD) unless indicated otherwise.

Abbreviations: ATC/DDD, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System/defined daily doses; MIDAS, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale; VAS, visual analog scale.

Table 3 Changes in the clinical outcomes from baseline to 3 and 9 months after randomization

Clinical outcome	Acupuncture group (n=42)		Control group (n=44)		DI (Δ)	95% CI
	n	Mean (SD)	n	Mean (SD)
Baseline – post-intervention (3 months)
Migraine days
Frequency (n per month)a	38	−5.5d (−8, −2)	41	−2d (−5, 0.5)	−2.00e	(−4 to −1)
Duration (hours)a	38	−0.46 (−4.5, 1.3)	40	−0.07 (−2.7, 1.3)	−0.53	(−2.5–1.2)
Intensity, VAS (mm)a	38	−0.18 (1.3)	41	0.3 (0.76)	−0.48	(−0.96 to −0.001)
Drug consumption (N02, M01, R06), (ATC/DDD)a.	38	−3.2c (−10, −1)	41	−1.2c (−4.7, 1.0)	−2.70e	(−5.2 to −0.7)
Responder rate, n (%)	38	19 (50)	41	11 (27)	8e
Migraine attack
Frequency (n per month)b	38	−2.2c (2.6)	41	−0.7d (1.9)	−1.47f	(−2.5 to −0.45)
MIDAS scoreb	26	−18.15c (23.3)	27	−10.7c (30.3)	−7.5	(−22.4–7.5)
Baseline – post-intervention (9 months)
Migraine days
Frequency (n per month)a	37	−7c (−10, −4)	39	−4c (−7, −1)	−4f	(−6 to −2)
Duration (hours)a	33	−0.89 (−3, 2)	36	−0.48 (−2.8, 2.2)	0.121	(−2.1–2.3)
Intensity, VAS (mm)b	32	0.18 (1.5)	37	0.13 (0.97)	0.05	(−0.55–0.65)
Drug consumption (N02, M01, R06), (ATC/DDD)a	33	−5.7c (−11, −3)	38	−2.7c (−7, 0.02)	−3e	(−5.8 to −0.7)
Responder rate, n (%)	37	30 (81.1)	39	14 (35.9)	16f
Migraine attack
Frequency (n per month)b	37	−3.4c (2.2)	39	−2.1c (2.4)	−1.36e	(−2.4 to −0.31)
MIDAS scoreb	29	−15.8c (25.6)	29	−6.2 (32.6)	−9.55	(−25–5.9)

Notes:

a Data are presented as median (25 quartile, 75 quartile).

b Data are presented as mean (SD).

c Level of significance 0.01 (within group comparison, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test).

d Level of significance 0.05 (within group comparison, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test).

e Level of significance 0.05 (between-group comparison, unpaired t-test, Mann–Whitney test, Fisher’s exact test).

f Level of significance 0.01 (between-group comparison, unpaired t-test, Mann–Whitney test, Fisher’s exact test). DI is the difference between the acupuncture and the control groups.

Abbreviations: ATC/DDD, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System/defined daily doses; MIDAS, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale; VAS, visual analog scale.