Table 1.

Acupuncture studies

Author	Participants	Groups		Outcomes	Findings
Christensen et al²¹	29 patients waiting for arthroplasty (short-term study)	Needle acupuncture (Group A) 2×/wk for 3 wk (wk 1–3) 20 min/treatment Wait list control (Group B) No treatment during wk 1–9 Treated wk 9–11		Pain VAS HSS knee scale 50-m walk time 20-step climb time	A vs B = +; A + B = + A vs B = +; A + B = + A vs B = +; A + B = + A vs B = +; A + B = +
Takeda et al²²	40 subjects with grade I–IV knee OA	Needle acupuncture (Group A) 3×/wk for 3 wk Sham acupuncture (Group B) Same schedule as real acupuncture		MPQ pain rating index WOMAC Pain threshold dolorimeter	A vs B = − A vs B = − all A vs B = − (Pre vs post = + for both Tx and sham, all outcomes)
Yurtkuran et al²⁸	100 patients with knee pain from OA 25 per group	TENS 5 d/wk for 2 wk; 20 min/session Same schedule for all treatment groups EA Ice massage Placebo		Present pain intensity Stiffness 50-ft walk time Quadriceps strength Active knee flexion	All Tx vs Placebo are + All Tx vs Placebo are + All Tx vs Placebo are + All Tx vs Placebo are + All Tx vs Placebo are +
Berman et al²³	73 patients with symptomatic knee OA 58 completed study	Needle acupuncture Biweekly for 8 weeks Standard care control		WOMAC Algofunctional Index	A vs B = + pain function total A vs B = +
Sangdee et al²⁴	193 patients with knee OA 186 completed study	EA (Group Al) 3×/wkfor 4 wk Diclofenac (Group C) 1 tablet 3×/d for 4 wk EA plus Diclofenac (A2) Same as treatment Placebo tablet plus placebo EA (Group B) Same as treatment		Amount of rescue analgesic 50-ft walk time Pain VAS WOMAC Algofunctional Index Patient's opinion of change Doctor's opinion of change	Al vs A2 vs B vs C = − Al vs A2 vs B vs C = − Al vs B = +; Al vs C = + A2 vs B = + pain Al vs B = + Al vs A2 vs B vs C = − Al vs B = +
Ng et al¹⁹	24 residents of Care & Attention Homes with knee OA	EA (Group A) 8 sessions on alternate days w/in 2 wk TENS (Group C) Similar to EA Education on OA knee care control (B)		Pain NRS Passive ROM Timed Up-and-Go test	Pre vs post = + for A and C All groups − Pre vs post = + for A and C
Berman et al²⁰	570 patients with knee OA		Needle acupuncture (Group A) 2×/wk for 8 wk, 1×/wk for 2 wk, 1×/2wk for 4 wk, 1×/mo for 12 wk Sham acupuncture control (Group B) Same schedule as true acupuncture Education control Six 2-h group sessions on OA management	WOMAC pain scale^* WOMAC function scale^* SF-36 Physical health Patient global assessment 6-min walk distance	A vs B = + A vs B = + A vs B = − A vs B = + All −
Tukmachi et al²⁵	30 patients with > 6 mo hx of knee OA 29 were analyzed		Needle acupuncture alone (Group Al) 2×/wk for 5 wk Acupuncture + remained on OA meds A2 Same schedule as above Wait list control (Group B) Remained on OA meds for first 5 wk	Pain VAS^* WOMAC pain, stiffness Patient global assessment Doctor global assessment	Al vs B = +; A2 vs B = + Al vs B = +; A2 vs B = + Not stated if stat significant Not stated if stat significant
Vas et al²⁶	97 patients with knee OA 89 completed the study		Needle acupuncture plus diclofenac (A) 1×/wk for 12 wk Sham acupuncture + diclofenac control (B) Same schedule	WOMAC^* Pain VAS PQLC	A vs B = + all scales A vs B = + A vs B = + for physical and psychological functioning
Witt et al²⁷	294 patients with chronic knee OA		Needle acupuncture (Group A) 12 sessions over 8 wk Minimal acupuncture sham (Group B) Superficial needling, nonacupoints Wait list control (Group C)	WOMAC^* Disability (PDI) SF-36 Physical health SF-36 Mental health Pain affective (SES) Pain sensoric (SES) Depression (ADS) Days with limited function	A vs B = +; A vs C = + all A vs B = +; A vs C = + A vs B = +; A vs C = + A vs B = −; A vs C = + A vs B = −; A vs C = + A vs B = −; A vs C = + A vs B = −; A vs C = − A vs B = −; A vs C = +

indicates Primary outcome; ADS, Allgemeine Depressionsskala; EA, electroacupuncture; PDI, Pain Disability Index; HSS, Hospital for Special Surgery; MPQ, McGill Pain Questionnaire; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; PQLC, Profile of Quality of Life in the chronically ill; ROM, range of motion; SES, Schmerzempfindungs-Skala; SF-36, short form-36; VAS, Visual Analog Scale; WOMAC, Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index; OA, Osteoarthritis; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; +, statistically significant; −, not statistically significant: A vs B, Group A compared with Group B; A + B, Groups A and B combined when wait-list control group crosses over to treatment.