Table 2 Summary of included trials comparisons and outcome measures

BALLEGAARD 1986 [35]

(A) BA (3 × 2), 20 min/d, 7d as ACOT; plus none

(B) Sham acupuncture treatment

21, 3 w follow up

Angina attack rate, NTG consumption and general well-being on an ordinal scale

Pr4/Se1, 4; Su/Ob

BALLEGAARD 1990 [36]

(A) BA (3 × 2), 20 min/d, 10d as ACOT; plus none

(B) Sham acupuncture treatment

21, 3 w follow up

Angina attack rate, NTG consumption and general well-being on an ordinal scale*

Pr4/Se1, 4; Su/Ob

CAO JP 2002 [41]

(A) BA G1 (3 + X)^a, G2 (3 + X)^a, alternate G1 and 2 each time, 20 min/d, 15 d as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ID 5–10 mg Tid, ASP 50–300 mg Tid; BET 25–50 mg Bid and Norvasc 5 mg Qd are chosen according to the disease severity.

15

4 degrees of effects in the symptom; and 3 degrees of effects in the ECG; MID according to DCG

Pr4/Se2; Su

CHANG PF 2005 [42]

(A) BA G1 (4 × 2 + 2), G2 (4 × 2 + 2), alternate G 1 and 2 every other d, 30 min/d for 14 d; plus none

(B) ID 10 mg Tid, or BET 12.5 mg Bid

14

4 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; no. Patients of NTG reduction and suspension

Pr4/Se2, 4; Su/Ob

DIAO LH 2006 [43]

(A) EA (1 + X)^a 30 min/d, 6 d and 1 d rest as ACOT; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

28

4 degrees of effects in the DCG and ECG

Se2, 3; Su

(A) EA (1 + X)^a 30 min/d, 6 d and 1 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

HU NK 1997 [44]

(A) BA (1 × 2) 30 min/d, 30 d as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) Huoxinwan (Chinese medicine) 2 pills Bid, compound Danshen 5 tablets Tid, ASP 50 mg Qd

30

3 degrees of effects in the DCG and ECG

Se2, 3; Su

HUANG J 2004 [45]

(A) EA (1 × 2) 30 min/d, 6 d per w for 4 ws; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

28

4 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; frequency of attacks, NTG consumption

Pr4/Se2, 4; Su/Ob

HUANG J2 2004 [46]

(A) EA (1 × 2) 30 min/d, 6 d and 1 d rest as ACOT; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

28

4 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

(A) EA (1 × 2) 30 min/d, 6 d and 1 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

LI CP 2005 [47]

(A) BA (10) 25 min/d,12 d and 2 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ID, ASP, BET used convention

28

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

LI HJ 2003 [48]

(A) BA points G1 (3 + X)^a, points G1 (3 + X)^a, alternate G 1 and 2 every other d, 20 min/d for 2 w; plus (B)

(B) CDI 20 ml plus 5% GS or 0.9% NS 250 ml i.v.

28

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

LIU JL 2007 [49]

(A) Needle-embedding (2 × 2), 10–15 min/d, 7 d as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ISMN (ISMN)20 mg Bid, simvastatin 10 mg Qd, ASP 75–100 mg Qd. SLNTG

14

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; no. patients of NTG suspension and reduction

Pr4/Se2, 4; Su/Ob

LIU JR 2010 [50]

(A) BA (6) 15–20 min/d, 7 d as ACOT; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid, SLNTG

28, 3 m fellow up

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; NTG consumption

Pr4/Se2, 4; Su/Ob

LIU WP 2004 [51]

(A) BA (6) 20 min/d, 13 d and 2 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ID 20 mg Bid, Diltiazem hydrochloride 30 mg Tid, ASP 50 mg Qd.

28

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

LIU WP 2003 [52]

(A) BA (5) 20 min/d, 13 d and 1 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) Controlled release ID 20 mg Bid.

56

Quality of life

Se1; Su

LIU YF 2012 [53]

(A) BA (5 + x)^a, 30 min/d; plus none

(B) ID 10 mg Tid, ASP 100 mg Qd, BET 12.5 mg Bid, SLNTG

28

4 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

TONG YH 2005 [54]

(A) EA (2 × 2) 20 min/d, 5 d/w for 6 w; plus (B)

(B) ASP 150 mg, ISMN 40 mg Qd, BET 25 mg Bid, Zocor 20 mg Qd, SLNTG

42

EF

Se7; Ob

WANG PJ 2011 [55]

(A) EA (nr) 30 min/d, 6 d/w, alternate bilateral acupoints each time; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

28

4 degrees of effects in the DCG

Se3; Su

(A) EA (nr) 30 min/d, 6 d/w, alternate bilateral acupoints each time; plus (B)

WANG X 2000 [56]

(A) BA G1 (5), G2 (5), alternate G 1 and 2 in the morning and afternoon from 1 to 5 d, alternate Groups every other day from 6th day to the end, 30 min/d for 14 d; plus (B)

(B) ID or CDI with ASP, NIF, BET

14

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; duration of angina relief, and angina disappearance

Pr4/Se2; Su/Ob

WU CY 2009 [57]

(A) BA (3 + 1) 30 min/d, 10 d and 2 d rest as ACOT; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

34

4 degrees of effects in the symptom; MID according to DCG; no. Patients of NTG reduction and suspension

Pr4/Se3, 4; Su/Ob

WU HH 2005 [58]

(A) BA (10) 30 min/d for 2 w; plus (B)

(B) Nitrates, p.o.; Gegensu injection 500 mg plus 5% GS or 0.85% NS Qd.

14

3 degrees of effects in the symptom; 4 degrees of effects in the ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

XIE ZQ 2003 [59]

(A) EA (2 × 2) 20–30 min/d, 12 d and 3 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ISMN, 10–60 mg, every 4–6 hours; NTG i.v. starts at 5–10 μg/min and increases 5–10 μg per 5 min; NIF 10–20 mg combined with propranlolum 40–80 mg Tid; ASP 0.3-0.6 g Qd; liquaemin injection 5000U, if necessary, 4–6 hours repeated once.

34, a follow up after leaving hospital

Cardiovascular events

Pr3; Ob

XU GD 2006 [60], TONG YH1 2005 [61]

(A) EA (2 × 2) 20 min/d, 5 d and 2 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)

(B) ASP 150 mg Qd, ISMN 40 mg Qd, BET 25 mg, Bid, simvastatin 20 mg Qd, SLNTG

42

Quality of life; 3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; onset time of angina relief, angina disappearance

Pr4/Se1, 2; Su/Ob

YU W 2006 [62]

(A) EA (1 × 2), 30 min/d for 10 d; plus (B)

(B) Atenolol 12.5 mg Bid, ASP 100 mg Qd. SLNTG

10

4 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; time of angina attack

Pr4/Se2; Su/Ob

ZHANG L 2011 [63]

(A) BA (6 × 2 + 1) 30 min/d for 4 ws; plus (B)

(B) ASP 100 mg, chiralisomer 75 mg, ISMN 20 mg, Perindopril 2 mg, simvastatin 20 mg Qd

28

3 degrees of effects in the symptom and ECG; EF

Pr4/Se2, 7; Su/Ob

ZHANG LJ 2005 [64]

(A) BA (7) 20 min/d, 10 d and 3 d rest as ACOT; plus none

(B) CDP 10 pills (25 mg/pill) Tid

60

4 degrees of effects in the symptom; 3 degrees of effects in the ECG

Pr4/Se2; Su

(A) BA (7) 20 min/d, 10 d and 3 d rest as ACOT; plus (B)