Objective To summarize the influence of different needle-retaining duration on acupuncture efficacy.Methods Articles about the influence of different needle-retaining duration on acupuncture efficacy published in China and other countries in recent 10 years were retrieved. Information about study objects

acupuncture needleretaining duration

curative effect index and results from the article was extracted. The included articles were arranged according to the type of diseases

and the better needle-retaining duration of different diseases were summarized.Results Twenty-two articles were included. There were 9 about central nervous system diseases

including 5 articles related to stroke

all of which indicated that

the longer the needle-retaining duration

the better the curative effect.Among the papers on diseases of peripheral nervous system

2 clinical trial reports on facial nerve paralysis showed that needle-retaining duration of 20 minutes has the better curative effect. There was one article on trigeminal neuralgia

as well as one article on postherpetic neuralgia

both of which indicated that the needle-retaining duration should be 30 minutes. There were 4 articles about the acute muscle and soft tissue pain

which indicated that the curative effect of appropriate long needle-retaining duration was better than that short needle-retaining duration. There were few articles about other diseases and the results were various

thus

exact conclusion cannot be reached. Conclusion There are differences in the best needle-retaining duration for different diseases. It should determine the needle-retaining duration according to the nature of disease

and we should strengthen the study of needle-retaining duration.