Acupuncture for chronic pain.


Author: Vickers AJ1, Linde K2.

Affiliation: 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. 2Technical University, Munich, Germany.
Conference/Journal: JAMA
Date published: 2014 Mar 5
Other:
 Volume ID: 311   ,  Issue ID: 9   ,  Pages: 955-6   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.285478   ,  Word Count: 64  
    

CLINICAL QUESTION:

Is acupuncture associated with reduced pain outcomes for patients with chronic pain compared with sham-acupuncture (placebo) or no-acupuncture control?

BOTTOM LINE:

Acupuncture is associated with improved pain outcomes compared with sham-acupuncture and no-acupuncture control, with response rates of approximately 30% for no acupuncture, 42.5% for sham acupuncture, and 50% for acupuncture.

Comment on

Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. [Arch Intern Med. 2012]

PMID: 24595780