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. 2025 Feb 11;2(2):CD015528.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD015528.

Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine

Ruyu Xia  1 , Klaus Linde  2 , Tobias Freilinger  3 , Andrew Vickers  4 , Emily A Vertosick  4 , Lene Vase  5 , Carles Fernández-Jané  6 , Yiming Ren  7 , Bingcong Zhao  8 , Sara Lk Low  9 , Yutong Fei  1
Affiliations

Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine

Ruyu Xia et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To investigate whether acupuncture is more effective than 'sham' (placebo) acupuncture, no preventative treatment or routine care only, or other interventions, in reducing headache frequency in people with episodic migraine.

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Conflict of interest statement

RYX: none known

KL: no relevant interests; involved in two studies included in the previous version of the review (Linde 2005; Streng 2006). Both studies were funded by German Social Health Insurances (Ersatzkassen); German Social Health Insurances (Ersatzkassen) pay for any health expenditures of their members; the funders had no role in the design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the studies.

TF: Participation in advisory boards: TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Lundbeck. Received speaker's honoraria: Novartis, TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Lilly. Delivers talks on migraine/treatment of migraine including use of CGRP‐antibodies in the prophylactic treatment of migraine, migraine genetics at educational events, meetings, congresses. Works as Head of the Outpatient Headache Unit of the Centre of Neurology, University of Tuebingen (2013‐2018). Head of research group 'Migraine and primary Headache Disorders', Hertie‐Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tuebingen (2014‐2022). Works as Head of Department of Neurology, Klinikum Passau, Germany (2018‐). Active member of the DMKG (Deutsche Migräne und Kopfscherzgesellschaft, German Society for Migraine and Headache); until 2018 served as "Regionalbeauftragter Baden‐Wuerttemberg"; since 2022, board member ("Kooptiertes Präsidiumsmitglied"). Involved in these studies ‐ Amici (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02185703) (sponsor: Chordate Medical), PredCh (doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(20)30363-X), REGAIN (doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000006640) and EVOLVE‐2 (doi: https://10.1177/0333102418779543) (sponsor: Lilly), GM‐11 (www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/gm-11-gammacore-nvns-episodic-migraine-study/) (sponsor: Gammacore), CAMG334A2301 (www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2016-002211-18/NL) (sponsor: Novartis), HeMiLa (IIT; https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2016-003223-30/DE).

AV: no relevant interests; investigator of (Vickers 2004), a study included in Linde 2016.

EAV: none known

LV: Lundbeck (consultant)

CFJ: Collegi de Fisioterapeutes de Catalunya; Societat Científica d'Acupuntura de Catanya i Balears (Fiduciary Officer); worked as a private physiotherapist including the use of acupuncuture; member of the board of the Societat Científica d'Acupuntura de Catalunya i Balears, with no payment; member of the acupuncture group in the Professional College of Physiotherapists of Catalonia, with no payment; colaborated with the Scientific Committee of the Observatory of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in "Fundación de Terapias Naturales", with no payment.

YMR: none known

BCZ: none known

SLKL: none known

YTF: no relevant interests; published research papers on acupuncture in journals. In the BMJ, Methodological Challenges of acupuncture trials. In psychiatry journals, acupuncture for depression randomised controlled trial results. And there were several systematic reviews about acupuncture for different conditions; works in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, teaching clinical epidemiology and evidence‐based medicine.

Review authors who have been or are currently involved in a study that could be included in the review, will not make study eligibility decisions about, extract data from, carry out the risk of bias assessment for, or perform GRADE assessments of that study.

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References to other published versions of this review

Linde 2016
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