Table 4.
Change in pain and function scores.* Values are means (standard deviations) unless stated otherwise
| Advice and exercise | Advice, exercise, and true acupuncture | Mean difference† (95% CI) | P value‡ | Advice, exercise, and non-penetrating acupuncture | Mean difference† (95% CI) | P value‡ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain | |||||||
| Six weeks: | |||||||
| No analysed | 105 | 113 | 115 | ||||
| Absolute score | 6.86 (4.2) | 6.38 (4.1) | 5.98 (4.3) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 2.10 (3.5) | 2.83 (4.0) | 0.74 (−0.3 to 1.7) | 0.1 | 3.02 (3.6) | 0.93 (0.0 to 1.9) | 0.05 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | 0.69 (−0.2 to 1.6) | 0.1 | 0.88 (0.0 to 1.8) | 0.06 | |||
| Six months: | |||||||
| No analysed | 105 | 108 | 112 | ||||
| Absolute score | 6.78 (4.5) | 7.07 (4.4) | 6.50 (4.8) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 2.28 (3.8) | 2.32 (3.6) | 0.04 (−1.0 to 1.0) | 0.9 | 2.53 (4.2) | 0.25 (−0.8 to 1.3) | 0.6 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | −0.08 (−1.0 to 0.9) | 0.9 | 0.25 (−0.8 to 1.3) | 0.6 | |||
| 12 months: | |||||||
| No analysed | 98 | 99 | 105 | ||||
| Absolute score | 6.29 (4.7) | 6.84 (4.7) | 6.16 (4.8) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 2.57 (4.3) | 2.37 (4.2) | −0.20 (−1.4 to 1.0) | 0.7 | 2.82 (4.1) | 0.25 (−0.9 to 1.4) | 0.7 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | −0.42 (−1.5 to 0.7) | 0.5 | 0.23 (−0.9 to 1.3) | 0.7 | |||
| Function | |||||||
| Six weeks: | |||||||
| No analysed | 105 | 113 | 110 | ||||
| Absolute score | 22.34 (14.9) | 22.38 (14.5) | 22.14 (15.7) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 6.21 (11.4) | 8.18 (11.5) | 1.97 (−1.1 to 5.0) | 0.2 | 9.32 (11.4) | 3.11 (0.0 to 6.2) | 0.05 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | 1.46 (−1.5 to 4.4) | 0.3 | 2.49 (−0.6 to 5.5) | 0.1 | |||
| Six months: | |||||||
| No analysed | 101 | 108 | 110 | ||||
| Absolute score | 24.36 (15.6) | 24.93 (16.0) | 23.83 (16.9) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 4.60 (11.4) | 6.25 (12.1) | 1.66 (−1.5 to 4.9) | 0.3 | 7.13 (13.1) | 2.54 (−0.8 to 5.9) | 0.1 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | 0.92 (−2.2 to 4.0) | 0.6 | 2.39 (−0.9 to 5.6) | 0.2 | |||
| 12 months: | |||||||
| No analysed | 97 | 100 | 104 | ||||
| Absolute score | 23.16 (15.8) | 23.83 (16.5) | 22.47 (16.7) | ||||
| Crude change score§ | 5.36 (11.9) | 6.61 (13.8) | 1.24 (−2.3 to 4.5) | 0.5 | 8.24 (13.5) | 2.87 (−0.7 to 6.4) | 0.1 |
| Adjusted change score¶ | 0.23 (−3.2 to 3.6) | 0.9 | 2.52 (−0.9 to 6.0) | 0.2 | |||
*Scores on Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index.
†Difference in mean scores (advice and exercise plus acupuncture group minus advice and exercise group).
‡Derived from linear regression.
§Change in score from baseline.
¶Mean difference adjusted for recruitment age, sex, duration of pain, and scores for pain or function.