Objective: To determine whether acupuncture is effective as an overactive bladder (OAB) treatment compared with solifenacin and placebo, and to investigate its relation with urine nerve growth factor (NGF) levels.
Patients and methods: The study was conducted with methodological rigor based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials criteria. 90 female patients with OAB were included and randomly assigned to a solifenacin, acupuncture or placebo group. The medicated group received solifenacin 5 mg/day; the acupuncture and placebo groups were treated twice a week for 4 weeks. Symptom scores, quality of life scores, frequency of micturition and urine NGF levels were used to assess treatment efficiency.
Results: The study was completed with 82 patients (n = 30 in the solifenacin group, n = 28 in the acupuncture group and n = 24 in the placebo group). After treatment, comparison of the medical and acupuncture therapy groups with the placebo group showed significant differences between recovery concerning quality of life (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively) and symptom scores (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The decrease of NGF levels after treatment compared to before treatment was determined in each group (solifenacin, acupuncture, placebo group; p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.359, respectively). Sufficient symptomatic improvement was not achieved in 8 patients in the acupuncture group. Therefore, comparisons were assessed twice with and without including these patients, and NGF levels in the acupuncture group were higher than at first comparison in which all patients in the acupuncture group were included.
Conclusions: In patients with OAB in whom anticholinergic treatment is contraindicated, acupuncture may be considered another treatment option.