RESEARCH - Acupuncture for pain relief in patients with RA

[Guest guest]

Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Sep 15;59(9):1249-56.

Acupuncture for pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A

systematic review.

Wang C, de Pablo P, Chen X, Schmid C, McAlindon T.

Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston,

Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the efficacy of acupuncture on

pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search of 12 western and Chinese

databases and reference lists through March 2008. We included

randomized controlled trials with pain as an end point, measured by

tender joint count (TJC) or a pain scale. We also reviewed the effect

of acupuncture on morning stiffness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate

(ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Study quality was assessed

by Jadad score. Differences between treatment groups were pooled as

mean or median change (P value).

RESULTS: Eight studies met eligibility criteria with a total of 536

subjects. There were 4 placebo-controlled trials and 4

active-controlled trials. Average study duration was 11 weeks. Mean

+/- SD acupuncture points and sessions were 11 +/- 8 and 42 +/- 62,

respectively. Average duration of needle insertion was 24 minutes. Six

studies reported a decrease in pain for acupuncture versus controls;

the mean or median changes of acupuncture-decreased TJC pain ranged

from 1.5 to 6.5. In addition, 4 studies reported a significant

reduction in morning stiffness (mean change -29 minutes), but the

difference was nonsignificant versus controls. With regard to

inflammatory markers, 5 studies observed a reduction in ESR (mean

change -3.9 mm/hour) and 3 observed a CRP level reduction (mean change

-2.9 mg/dl); only 1 study showed a significant difference for both ESR

and CRP.

CONCLUSION: Despite some favorable results in active-controlled

trials, conflicting evidence exists in placebo-controlled trials

concerning the efficacy of acupuncture for RA. Rigorous and

well-controlled randomized trials are warranted.

PMID: 18759255

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18759255

--

Not an MD

[Guest guest]

Thanks for this one ! I've been tossing around the idea of

acupuncture for months now. It might be worth a shot (no pun intended)!

:-)

>

> Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Sep 15;59(9):1249-56.

>

>

> Acupuncture for pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A

> systematic review.

>

>

> Wang C, de Pablo P, Chen X, Schmid C, McAlindon T.

> Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston,

> Massachusetts.

>

>

> OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the efficacy of acupuncture on

> pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

>

> METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search of 12 western and Chinese

> databases and reference lists through March 2008. We included

> randomized controlled trials with pain as an end point, measured by

> tender joint count (TJC) or a pain scale. We also reviewed the effect

> of acupuncture on morning stiffness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate

> (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Study quality was assessed

> by Jadad score. Differences between treatment groups were pooled as

> mean or median change (P value).

>

> RESULTS: Eight studies met eligibility criteria with a total of 536

> subjects. There were 4 placebo-controlled trials and 4

> active-controlled trials. Average study duration was 11 weeks. Mean

> +/- SD acupuncture points and sessions were 11 +/- 8 and 42 +/- 62,

> respectively. Average duration of needle insertion was 24 minutes. Six

> studies reported a decrease in pain for acupuncture versus controls;

> the mean or median changes of acupuncture-decreased TJC pain ranged

> from 1.5 to 6.5. In addition, 4 studies reported a significant

> reduction in morning stiffness (mean change -29 minutes), but the

> difference was nonsignificant versus controls. With regard to

> inflammatory markers, 5 studies observed a reduction in ESR (mean

> change -3.9 mm/hour) and 3 observed a CRP level reduction (mean change

> -2.9 mg/dl); only 1 study showed a significant difference for both ESR

> and CRP.

>

> CONCLUSION: Despite some favorable results in active-controlled

> trials, conflicting evidence exists in placebo-controlled trials

> concerning the efficacy of acupuncture for RA. Rigorous and

> well-controlled randomized trials are warranted.

>

>

> PMID: 18759255

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18759255

>

>

> --

>

> Not an MD

>