Acupuncture for erectile dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODS: A total of 64 ED patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (32 cases, 2 case dropped out) and a western medication group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped out). In the acupuncture group, acupuncture treatment was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Dahe (KI 12), Qugu (CV 2), Zusanli (ST 36), and etc., two groups of acupoints were used alternately, 30 min each time, once every other day. In the western medication group, 50 mg of sildenafil tablet was took orally 1 h before sexual activity. Both groups were treated for 30 d. The international index of erectile function citrate (IIEF-5) score, self rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, self rating depression scale (SDS) score, TCM syndrome score were observed before and after treatment, and in follow-up of 2 weeks after treatment completion, the serum testosterone (T) level was detected before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up, the IIEF-5 scores were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups ( P< 0.01). In follow-up, the IIEF-5 score in the acupuncture group was ascended compared with that in the western medication group ( P< 0.05). Except for the SDS and TCM syndrome scores in the western medication group of follow-up, the SAS scores, SDS scores, and the TCM syndrome scores were decreased after treatment and in follow-up compared with those before treatment in the two groups ( P <0.01, P <0.05); in the acupuncture group, the SAS scores, SDS scores and the TCM syndrome scores after treatment and in follow-up were lower than those in the western medication group ( P <0.01). After treatment, the serum T levels were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups ( P <0.01). The total effective rate of the acupuncture group was 83.3% (25/30), and it was 86.7% (26/30) in the western medication group, there was no significant difference in total effective rate between the two groups ( P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can effectively improve erectile function, anxiety and depression state, and TCM syndrome in ED patients, and has a advantage of posterior effect compared with western medication treatment.