JAMA Netw Open 2025 (Sep 2); 8 (9): e2531348
Table 2. Adjusted Mean Changes From Baseline by Group and Pairwise AMDs Between Groups for the Primary Outcome (RMDQ) and All Continuous Secondary Outcomes.
Outcome Adjusted mean change from baseline (95% CI) Omnibus P valuea Pairwise AMD (95% CI) SMDb UMC SA EA SA vs UMC EA vs UMC EA vs SA Back-related dysfunction (RMDQ) 3 mo −2.0 (−2.6 to −1.4) −3.4 (−3.8 to −3.0) NA <.001 −1.4 (−2.1 to −0.7) NA NA −0.32 NA NA 6 mo −2.1 (−2.7 to −1.5) −3.1 (−3.7 to −2.5) −3.6 (−4.3 to −3.0) .002 −1.0 (−1.9 to −0.1) −1.5 (−2.5 to −0.6) −0.5 (−1.5 to 0.5) −0.21 −0.32 −0.11 12 mo −1.8 (−2.5 to −1.1) −3.0 (−3.5 to −2.5) −3.5 (−4.2 to −2.8) .002 −1.2 (−2.1 to −0.3) −1.7 (−2.6 to −0.7) −0.5 (−1.4 to 0.4) −0.22 −0.31 −0.09 PEG 3 mo −0.6 (−0.8 to −0.4) −1.4 (−1.5 to −1.3) NA <.001 −0.8 (−1.1 to −0.5) NA NA −0.43 NA NA 6 mo −0.6 (−0.9 to −0.3) −1.1 (−1.3 to −0.8) −1.5 (−1.8 to −1.3) <.001 −0.4 (−0.8 to −0.1) −0.9 (−1.3 to −0.6) −0.5 (−0.9 to −0.1) −0.22 −0.45 −0.24 12 mo −0.7 (−0.9 to −0.4) −1.1 (−1.3 to −0.9) −1.3 (−1.5 to −1.1) .001 −0.4 (−0.8 to −0.1) −0.6 (−1.0 to −0.3) −0.2 (−0.6 to 0.1) −0.21 −0.31 −0.10 Pain intensity (P of PEG) 3 mo −0.6 (−0.9 to −0.4) −1.5 (−1.7 to −1.4) NA <.001 −0.9 (−1.2 to −0.6) NA NA −0.52 NA NA 6 mo −0.6 (−0.8 to −0.3) −1.1 (−1.3 to −0.9) −1.6 (−1.8 to −1.3) <.001 −0.5 (−0.8 to −0.2) −1.0 (−1.3 to −0.6) −0.5 (−0.8 to −0.1) −0.27 −0.51 −0.24 12 mo −0.8 (−1.1 to −0.6) −1.2 (−1.4 to −1.0) −1.3 (−1.6 to −1.1) .005 −0.4 (−0.7 to 0) −0.5 (−0.9 to −0.2) −0.1 (−0.5 to 0.2) −0.19 −0.27 −0.07 PROMIS physical function subscale 3 mo 0.8 (0.1 to 1.4) 1.6 (1.2 to 2.1) NA .03 0.9 (0.1 to 1.7) NA NA 0.19 NA NA 6 mo 1.0 (0.4 to 1.7) 1.2 (0.6 to 1.8) 1.8 (1.2 to 2.5) .24 0.2 (−0.8 to 1.1) 0.8 (−0.1 to 1.7) 0.6 (−0.4 to 1.6) 0.03 0.16 0.13 12 mo 1.0 (0.3 to 1.7) 1.7 (1.0 to 2.3) 1.5 (0.9 to 2.0) .35 0.7 (−0.3 to 1.6) 0.5 (−0.4 to 1.4) −0.2 (−1.0 to 0.7) 0.13 0.09 −0.03 Patient global impression of change–pain 3 mo 3.4 (3.2 to 3.5) 4.5 (4.4 to 4.6) NA <.001 1.2 (0.9 to 1.4) NA NA 0.86 NA NA 6 mo 3.3 (3.1 to 3.5) 4.0 (3.8 to 4.1) 4.6 (4.4 to 4.7) <.001 0.7 (0.4 to 1.0) 1.3 (1.0 to 1.5) 0.6 (0.3 to 0.9) 0.48 0.89 0.41 12 mo 3.3 (3.1 to 3.6) 3.9 (3.7 to 4.1) 4.1 (4.0 to 4.3) <.001 0.5 (0.2 to 0.8) 0.8 (0.5 to 1.1) 0.3 (0 to 0.5) 0.32 0.49 0.16 Patient global impression of change–general 3 mo 3.4 (3.3 to 3.6) 4.4 (4.3 to 4.6) NA <.001 1.0 (0.8 to 1.2) NA NA 0.80 NA NA 6 mo 3.4 (3.2 to 3.6) 4.0 (3.9 to 4.1) 4.5 (4.3 to 4.6) <.001 0.6 (0.4 to 0.8) 1.1 (0.8 to 1.3) 0.5 (0.2 to 0.7) 0.41 0.74 0.33 12 mo 3.4 (3.2 to 3.6) 3.9 (3.7 to 4.1) 4.1 (3.9 to 4.3) <.001 0.5 (0.2 to 0.8) 0.7 (0.4 to 1.0) 0.2 (0 to 0.5) 0.29 0.45 0.16 PROMIS social functioning subscale 3 mo 0.4 (−0.5 to 1.2) 1.6 (1.0 to 2.2) NA .02 1.2 (0.2 to 2.3) NA NA 0.18 NA NA 6 mo 0.5 (−0.4 to 1.4) 1.3 (0.5 to 2.1) 1.6 (0.5 to 2.6) .22 0.8 (−0.4 to 2.0) 1.1 (−0.2 to 2.5) 0.3 (−1.0 to 1.7) 0.12 0.16 0.05 12 mo −0.2 (−1.0 to 0.6) 1.6 (0.9 to 2.3) 1.4 (0.6 to 2.1) .004 1.8 (0.7 to 2.9) 1.6 (0.4 to 2.7) −0.2 (−1.2 to 0.8) 0.25 0.22 −0.03 Depression screener (PHQ-2) 3 mo 0 (−0.2 to 0.1) −0.2 (−0.3 to −0.1) NA .19 −0.1 (−0.3 to 0.1) NA NA −0.10 NA NA 6 mo 0 (−0.2 to 0.2) −0.2 (−0.4 to −0.1) −0.3 (−0.4 to −0.1) .047 −0.3 (−0.5 to 0) −0.3 (−0.5 to 0) 0 (−0.2 to 0.2) −0.16 −0.18 −0.02 12 mo −0.2 (−0.4 to −0.1) −0.4 (−0.5 to −0.3) −0.3 (−0.4 to −0.2) .30 −0.2 (−0.4 to 0.1) 0 (−0.2 to 0.1) 0.1 (−0.1 to 0.3) −0.10 −0.03 0.07 Anxiety screener (GAD-2) 3 mo 0 (−0.1 to 0.2) −0.2 (−0.3 to 0) NA .07 −0.2 (−0.4 to 0) NA NA −0.13 NA NA 6 mo 0.1 (−0.2 to 0.3) −0.3 (−0.4 to −0.1) −0.2 (−0.4 to 0) .03 −0.3 (−0.6 to −0.1) −0.3 (−0.5 to 0) 0.1 (−0.2 to 0.3) −0.19 −0.16 0.04 12 mo 0 (−0.2 to 0.2) −0.4 (−0.5 to −0.3) −0.3 (−0.4 to −0.1) .006 −0.4 (−0.6 to −0.2) −0.3 (−0.5 to 0) 0.1 (−0.1 to 0.3) −0.23 −0.17 0.06 Abbreviations:
AMD = adjusted mean difference;
EA = enhanced acupuncture;
GAD-2 = General Anxiety Disorder 2-item subscale;
NA = not applicable;
PEG = pain intensity, interference with enjoyment of life, and interference with general activity;
PHQ-2 = Patient Health Questionnaire-2;
PROMIS = Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System;
RMDQ = Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire;
SA = standard acupuncture;
SMD = standardized mean difference;
UMC = usual medical care.a To account for multiple comparisons = pairwise inference was only performed if the omnibus P value was significant.
b Defined as the adjusted mean difference divided by the SD of the change in the outcome.