Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Combined With Medication for Postherpetic Neuralgia
Ting Guo, Xun Xia, Shanghua DengObjective
To assess the clinical effectiveness of electroacupuncture combined with conventional medication for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Methods
In this retrospective propensity score-matched study, the initial cohort comprised 146 patients with PHN admitted between January 2024 and December 2025 (67 in the control group and 79 in the observation group). After 1:1 propensity score matching, 80 patients remained, with 40 patients in each group. The following outcomes were measured: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores, Th17/Treg balance, CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), pain mediators (substance P, SP; and 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), PainDegree values, and the rates of rescue analgesic use and adverse events.
Results
Repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant main effects of time, group, and their interaction for NRS scores, PSQI scores, DLQI scores, Th17/Treg balance, CX3CR1, CCR2, pain mediators, and PainDegree values (
Conclusion
Electroacupuncture combined with medication was associated with greater pain relief and better sleep and quality of life in PHN patients. Improvements in immune and inflammatory markers were observed, but no causal inferences can be drawn from this observational study. The lack of blinding and retrospective design are major limitations; prospective randomized trials are required to confirm these findings.