Li 1997.

Methods	‐Randomized (method not reported). No mention of concealment of allocation. ‐Patients were blinded. Comment: since both groups were given active treatments, all the patients should know that they were treated by "real" acupuncture. However, they probably couldn't tell which active treatment group they were in. ‐Funding: not reported ‐Setting: Outpatient clinic in a hospital. Hebei Province, China. ‐Informed consent and ethics approval were not mentioned ‐Follow‐up: all 156 patients were followed. ‐Analysis: U‐test: between groups
Participants	156 patients with low‐back pain of varying duration (between 2 days and 8 years) Diagnoses: not reported Excluded: not reported Age between 20 and 71 years old 80 males and 76 females Working status: not reported Previous treatments: not reported
Interventions	1) Manual acupuncture plus cupping. Teh Chi sensation was obtained and needles were retained for 20 minutes. Major points: BL23, 40. GV 2, 26, LU5. Supplement points: for coldness and dampness: GV3, BL31, 34. For blood stasis: BL17, 18. For kidney deficiency: GV4 and KI 3. Treatment was given every other day (except for acute back pain, which was treated daily) up to 10 treatments. Randomized to this group: 78 Experience: adequate 2) Manual acupuncture alone. Major points: BL23, 40 and GV2. Supplement points: same as treatment group. Randomized to this group: 78
Outcomes	1) Overall assessment (see description in He 1997). Measured immediately after the end of the sessions. Costs: not reported Complications: not reported
Notes	Language: Chinese Publication: full paper No additional information from authors For results, see the comparisons: 11.6 (other data table) Conclusions: "Manual acupuncture plus cupping technique is better than manual acupuncture alone for treating low‐back pain"