| Author, Year, Followup,a Pain Duration, Study Quality | Intervention | Population | Function and Pain Outcomes | Other Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Brinkhaus, 2006a224 4 and 10 months Duration of pain: 14.7 vs. 13.6 years Good | A: Needle acupuncture to body acupoints (n=140) 12 sessions over 8 weeks B: Sham acupuncture (n=70) | A vs. B Age: 59 vs. 58 years Female: 64% vs. 75% Baseline Functional (FFbH-R) score: 57.1 vs. 57.2 Baseline pain (0-100 VAS): 63 vs. 66 Baseline Pain Disability Index (0-70): 28.9 vs. 31.5 | A vs. B 4 months Functional (0-10, FFbH-R 0, higher scores indicate better function): 66.0 vs. 64.1, difference 1.9 (95% CI −4.2 to 8.0) Number of days with limited function in past 6 months: 40.9 vs. 59.5, difference −18.6 (95% CI −33.3 to −3.9) Pain (0-100 VAS): 38.4 vs. 42.1, difference −3.8 (95% CI −12.4 to 4.9) Pain Disability Index (0-70): 19.3 vs. 21.4, difference −2.1 (95% CI −6.3 to 2.1) 10 months Functional (0-100 FFbH-R): 66.0 vs. 63.1, difference 2.9 (95% CI −3.2 to 9.0) Number of days with limited function in past 6 months: 42.4 vs. 52.9, difference −10.5 (95% CI −27.0 to 6.1) Pain (0-100 VAS): 39.2 vs. 44.9, difference −5.7 (95% CI −14.4 to 3.0) Pain Disability Index: 19.0 vs. 23.0, difference −4.0 (95% CI −8.1 to 0.1) | A vs. B 4 months SF-36 bodily pain subscale (0-100): 53.6 vs. 49.6, difference 3.9 (95% CI −2.7 to 10.7) SF-36 PCS (0-100): 39.3 vs. 37.6, difference 1.7 (95% CI −1.3 to 4.7) SF-36 MCS (0-100): 49.9 vs. 46.8, difference 3.1 (95% CI −0.5 to 6.6) Allgemaine Depressionssskala (ADS, t standard): 49.7 vs. 50.3, difference −0.6 (95% CI −2.5 to 3.7) 10 months SF-36 bodily pain subscale: 52.4 vs. 44.0, difference 8.5 (95% CI 1.7 to 15.2) SF-36 PCS: 38.9 vs. 36.1, difference 2.8 (95% CI −0.2 to 5.7) SF-36 MCS: 50.5 vs. 47.2, difference 3.3 (95% CI 0.1 to 6.5) ADS: 48.2 vs. 50.7, difference −2.5 (95% CI −5.3 to 0.4) |
Carlsson, 2001225 1, 3, 6 months Duration of pain: 6 months or longer Poor | A. Needle acupuncture or electroacupuncture (n=34), 8 sessions over 8 weeks, with followup session at 3 and 6 months B. Placebo (sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) (n=16) | A vs. B (NR) Age: 50 years Female: 66% Baseline function: NR Baseline Pain (0-100 VAS): 57 vs. 46 | A vs. B 1 month Pain (0-100 VAS): 50 vs. 60, P not reported Global assessment “pain improved”: 47% vs. 13%, RR 3.76 (95% CI 0.98 to 14.4) 3 months Pain (0-100 VAS): 42 vs. 56, P not reported Global assessment “pain improved”: 44% vs. 13%, RR 6.87 (95% CI 1.87 to 25.1) ≥6 months outcomes Pain (0-100 VAS): 41 vs. 50, P not reported Global assessment “pain improved”: 41% vs. 13%, RR 3.29 (95% CI 0.85 to 12.8) | A vs. B ≥6 months Analgesic intake (tablets per week): 21.4 vs. 21.5 Work full time: 32% vs. 31% |
Cherkin, 2001176 9.5 months Duration of pain: 3 to 12 months, mean not reported Fair | A. Needle acupuncture (n=94),10 sessions over 10 weeks B. Attention control (education) (n=90) | A vs. B Age: 54 vs. 44 years Female: 52% vs. 44% Baseline symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 6.2 vs. 6.1 Baseline modified RDQ (0-23): 12. vs. 12.0 | A vs. B 9.5 months Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 4.5 vs. 3.8, adjusted p=0.002 Modified RDQ (0-23): 8.0 vs. 6.4, adjusted p=0.05 | A vs. B 9.5 months ≥1 work-loss day due to LBP in past month: No difference (data not reported) Medication use: 51% vs. 62%, p<0.05 Provider visits:1.9 vs. 1.5 LBP medication fills: 4.4 vs. 4.0 Imaging studies: 0.2 vs. 0.1 Cost of services (1998 $): 252 vs. 200 |
Cherkin, 2009226 4.5 and 10.5 months Duration of pain: 3 to 12 months, mean not reported Fair | A. Needle acupuncture (individualized) (n=157), 10 sessions over 7 weeks B. Needle acupuncture (standardized) (n=158), 10 sessions over 7 weeks C. Sham acupuncture (n=162) D. Usual care (n=161) | A vs. B vs. C vs. D Age: 47 vs. 49 vs. 47 vs. 46 years Female: 68% vs. 56% vs. 60% vs. 64% Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 5.0 vs. 5.0 vs. 4.9 vs. 5.4 Baseline pain (0-10 VAS): 5.0 vs. 5.0 vs. 4.9 vs. 5.3 Baseline modified RDQ (0-23): 10.8 vs. 10.8 vs. 9.8 vs. 11.0 | A vs. B 4.5 months Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 3.8 (2.5) vs. 3.7 (2.6) vs. 3.5 (2.7) vs. 4.4 (2.6) ≥2 point decrease in symptom bothersomeness: 49% vs. 44% vs. 48% vs. 41% Modified RDQ (0-23): 6.8 (5.5) vs. 6.7 (5.8) vs. 6.4 (6.0) vs. 8.4 (6.0) 10.5 months Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 3.7 (2.6) vs. 3.5 (2.7) vs. 3.4 (2.7) vs. 4.1 (2.6) ≥2 point decrease in symptom bothersomeness: 52% vs. 49% vs. 50% vs. 47% Modified RDQ (0-23): 6.0 (5.4) vs. 6.0 (5.8) vs. 6.2 (5.8) vs. 7.9 (6.5) ≥3 point decrease on RDQ: 65% vs. 65% vs. 59% vs. 50% >7 days with cutting down on activities due to LBP in the past month: A, B and C 5-7% vs. D 18%, p=0.0005 | A vs. B 10.5 months SF-36 PCS: No differences, data not provided SF-36 MCS: No differences, data not provided Missed work/school for >1 day in past month: A, B and C 5-10% vs. D 16%, p=0.01 Mean total costs of back-related health services: $160-221 across groups, p=0.65 |
Cho, 2013227 1.5 and 4 months Duration of pain: 3 months Fair | A. Needle acupuncture (n=57), 12 sessions over 6 weeks B. Sham acupuncture (n=59) | A vs. B Age: 42 vs. 42 years Female: 83% vs. 86% Baseline ODI (0-100): 28.2 vs. 24.2 Baseline pain (0-10 VAS): 6.5 vs. 6.4 | A vs. B 1.5 months ODI (0-100): 15.5 vs. 15.5 bothersomeness (0-10 VAS): 2.83 vs. 3.99 Pain (0-10 VAS): 2.78 vs. 4.06 4 months ODI: 15.3 vs. 15.3 Symptom bothersomeness: 2.85 vs. 3.63 Pain (0-10 VAS): 2.79 vs. 3.52 | A vs. B 1.5 months Beck Depression Inventory (0-63): 6 vs. 7.5 4 months Beck Depression Inventory: 6 vs. 7 |
Haake, 2007228 1.5 and 4.5 months Duration of pain: Mean 8 years Fair | A. Needle acupuncture (n=387), 10-15 sessions over 5 weeks B. Sham acupuncture (n=387) C. Usual care (n=388) | A vs. B vs. C Age: 50 vs. 49 vs. 51 years Female: 57% vs. 64% vs. 58% Baseline Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire (0-100): 46.3 vs. 46.3 vs. 46.7 Baseline Von Korff Chronic Pain Grade Scale (0-100): 67.7 vs. 67.8 vs. 67.8 | A vs. B 1.5 months Hannover Functional Ability (0-100): 65.4 vs. 61.3 vs. 56.0 Von Korff Chronic Pain Grade Scale (0-100): 45.4 vs. 48.5 vs. 54.8 4.5 months Hannover Functional Ability (0-100): 66.8 vs. 62.2 vs. 55.7 Von Korff Chronic Pain Grade Scale: 40.2 vs. 43.3 vs. 52.3 | A vs. B 1.5 months SF-12 PCS (0-100): 40.3 vs. 39.2 vs. 36.1 SF-12 MCS (0-100): 50.5 vs. 50.2 vs. 48.6 Treatment response (≥33% improvement in pain or ≥12% improvement in function): 55.0% (213/387) vs. 51.9% (201/387) vs. 41.9% (162/387), RR 1.05 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.21) for A vs. B and RR 1.31 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.52) for A vs. C 4.5 months SF-12 PCS (0-100): 41.6 vs. 39. vs. 35.8 SF-12 MCS (0-100): 50.7 vs. 50.9 vs. 49.2 Treatment response: 47.6% (184/387) vs. 44.2% (171/387) vs. 27.4% (106/387), RR 1.08 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.25) for A vs. B and RR 1.74 (95% CI 1.43 to 2.11) for A vs. C |
Kerr, 2003229 4.5 months Duration of pain: Mean 86 vs. 73 months Poor | A. Needle acupuncture (n=26), 6 sessions over 6 weeks B. Placebo (sham TENS) (n=20) | A vs. B Age: 43 vs. 43 years Female: 50% vs. 35% Baseline function: NR Baseline pain (0-100 VAS): 79.7 vs. 76 | A vs. B 4.5 months Pain relief “yes”: 91% vs. 75%, RR 1.19 (95% CI 0.89 to 1.60) | NR |
Thomas, 2006230 9 and 21 months Duration of pain: Mean 17 weeks Fair | A. Needle acupuncture (n=159), 10 sessions over 12 weeks B. Usual care (n=80) | A vs. B Age: 42 vs. 44 Female: 62% vs. 58% Baseline ODI (0-100): 33.7 vs. 31.4 Baseline McGill Present Pain Index (0-5): 2.64 vs. 2.70 | A vs. B 9 months ODI (0-100): 20.6 vs. 19.6, adjusted difference −0.5 (−5.1 to 4.2) McGill Present Pain Index (0-5): 1.43 vs. 1.53, adjusted difference −0.1 (−0.4 to 0.3) 21 months ODI: 18.3 vs. 21.0, adjusted difference −3.4 (−7.8 to 1.0) McGill Present Pain Index: 1.42 (1.1) vs. 1.71, adjusted difference −0.2 (−0.6 to 0.1) | A vs. B 9 months SF-36 bodily pain (0-100): 64.0 vs. 58.3, adjusted difference 5.6 (95% CI −0.2 to 11.4) 21 months Used medication for LBP in the past 4 weeks: 40% vs. 59%, difference −19% (−35 to −3), p=0.03 21 months SF-36 bodily pain: 67.8 vs. 59.5, adjusted difference 8.0 (2.8 to 13.2) |
CI = confidence interval; FFbH-R = Funktionsfragebogen Hannover-Rücken (Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire-back); LBP = low back pain; MCS = Mental Component Summary; NR = not reported; ODI = Oswestry Disability Index; PCS = Physical Component Summary; RDQ = Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; RR = Relative risk; SF-36 = Short-Form 36 Questionnaire; TENS = transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; VAS = visual analog scale
Unless otherwise noted, followup time is calculated from the end of the treatment period
From: Results
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