Table 1

Characteristics of included studies and the risk of bias associated with each study

Study identificationParticipantsInterventionsTiming of interventionPrimary outcomeRisk of bias summary
Age (years)Course (years)AcupunctureControl
Ling Cao23 A: 33.82±4.34
C: 33.86±4.85
A: 0.25–11
C: 0.17–13
Electroacupuncture;
14 sessions in 2 weeks
NSAIDs (Celebrex)PremenstruationNumber of patients with improvement Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Lina Chen et al 20 A: 29.81±4.32
C: 28.43±4.63
A: 0.02–8
C: 0.01–9
Manual acupuncture;
14 sessions in 2 weeks
NSAIDs (Celebrex)Acute treatmentTime for headache relief Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Xiaoting Fan et al 18 A: 26.65±4.58
C: 26.10±4.81
A: 3.50±1.20
C: 3.20±0.90
Moxibustion;
21 sessions in 3 weeks
NSAIDs (ibuprofen)PremenstruationPain intensity measured by VAS Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Li22 A: 29.77±5.43
C: 31.31±5.65
A: 1.13±0.44
C: 1.04±0.58
Manual acupuncture;
18 sessions in 3 weeks
NSAIDs (ibuprofen)Intramenstruation and premenstruationPain intensity measured by PRI Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Linde et al 16 A: 35.20±7.5
S: 37.40±8.6
Not reportedElectroacupuncture;
9 sessions in 3 weeks
Sham acupuncture (sham device)PremenstruationMonthly migraine attack frequency Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Liu26 A: 26.40±1.71
C: 25.30±2.01
A: 6.04±0.51
C: 5.22±1.01
Manual acupuncture;
28 sessions in 4 weeks
NSAIDs (aspirin)PremenstruationPain intensity measured by VAS Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Lv19 A: 29.72±5.33
C: 28.57±5.43
A: 6.17±1.81
C: 6.42±2.51
Manual acupuncture;
21 sessions in 2 weeks
FlunarizineIntramenstruation and premenstruationPain index score Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Ma17 A: 18–39
C: 19–40
A: 1–4
C: 1–6
Manual acupuncture;
9 sessions in 9 days
FlunarizineIntramenstruation and premenstruationNumber of patients with improvement Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Sun25 17–450.25–15Manual acupuncture;
15 sessions in 3 weeks
NSAIDs (ibuprofen)PremenstruationNumber of patients with improvement Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Liqiong Tian24 A: 30.22±3.21
S: 31.65±3.12
A: 2.14±1.22
S: 2.12±0.22
Manual acupuncture;
20 sessions in 2 cycles
Sham acupuncture (non-acupoint)Intramenstruation and premenstruationNumber of patients with improvement Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Lihong Wang et al 21 A: 31.60±9.60
C: 32.60±8.90
A: 0.98±0.33
C: 1.07±0.66
Electroacupuncture;
24 sessions in 3 cycles
FlunarizineIntramenstruation and premenstruationPain intensity measured by VAS Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Yu and Salmoni15 22–52Not reportedManual acupuncture;
9 sessions in 3 cycles
Sham acupuncture (irrelevant acupoint)PremenstruationMonthly migraine attack days Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
Zhou14 A: 33.10±6.14
S: 33.27±6.87
A: 7.40±6.31
S: 6.48±4.66
Electroacupuncture;
27 sessions in 3 cycles
Sham acupuncture (non-acupoint)Intramenstruation, premenstruation and postmenstruationMonthly migraine attack frequency Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image Embedded Image
  • ① random sequence generation (selection bias); ② allocation concealment (selection bias); ③ blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias); ④ blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias); ⑤ incomplete outcome data (attrition bias); ⑥ selective reporting (reporting bias).


  • Embedded Image

    low risk of bias;


    Embedded Image

    unclear risk of bias;


    Embedded Image

    high risk of bias.

  • A, acupuncture; C, control; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PRI, Pain Rating Index; S, sham; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.