Acupuncture relieves symptoms in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized, sham-controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
There are multiple approaches to the management of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS); and lately the data suggesting the ability of acupuncture treatment to decrease pain, positively impact quality of life and potentially modulate inflammation has suggested it as a potential therapeutic option for men with CP/CPPS. We conducted this study to determine whether acupuncture is really an effective therapeutic modality for CP/CPPS in terms of >50% decrease in total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score from baseline compared with sham.


METHODS
One hundred patients with CP/CPPS (category III B) in an outpatient urology clinic were randomized to receive acupuncture at either seven acupoints bilaterally or sham points adjacent to these points. NIH-CPSI was completed by each patient before and 6, 8, 16, 24 weeks after the treatment. Mean values of total CPSI score and subscores after the treatment and on follow-up following the treatment were compared.


RESULTS
Of the acupuncture participants, 92% were NIH-CPSI responders (>50% decrease in total NIH-CPSI score from baseline) compared with 48% of sham participants, 8 weeks after the end of the therapy. Both groups experienced significant decrease in CPSI subscores throughout the whole follow-up period; however, the decline remained significantly greater in the active acupuncture group as compared with the sham group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that the use of acupuncture in treatment of men with CP/CPPS symptoms resulted in a significant decrease in total NIH-CPSI scores.
Department of Urology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
S
S
Sahin
Department of Physical Treatment and Rehabilitation, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
M
M
Bicer
Department of Anesthesiology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
G A
GA
Eren
Department of Urology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
S
S
Tas
Department of Urology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
V
V
Tugcu
Department of Urology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
A I
AI
Tasci
Department of Urology, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey.
M
M
Cek
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult