Is electroacupuncture safe and effective for treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is prevalent worldwide, particularly among elderly women. Although electroacupuncture (EA) has been accepted by many patients and physicians in Asia, its efficacy for SUI has not been evaluated scientifically and systematically. We aimed to conduct a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of EA treatment for women with SUI. METHODS: We retrieved publications up to February 2019 from seven databases. Randomized controlled trials for women with SUI treated by EA were included. Therapeutic effect, 1-hour urine leakage and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form (ICIQ-SF) scores were the primary outcomes. The Cochrane Collection’s RevMan 5.3 software was used to pool data. RESULTS: The 15 included articles demonstrated that EA for SUI was effective (odds ratio [OR], confidence interval [CI] = 5.64, 4.19–7.59; Ι(2) = 22%). ICIQ-SF scores increased (standard mean difference, CI = −0.48, −0.62 to −0.33; Ι(2) = 32%) and 1-hour urine leakage decreased (OR, CI = −4.14, −4.96 to −3.33; Ι(2) = 78%) in patients undergoing EA compared with those receiving sham EA, physical exercise or medication. CONCLUSION: EA for women with SUI exhibited significant efficacy and safety for key outcomes.