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. 2010 Jan 20;2010(1):CD001977. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001977.pub2

Comparison 8. Acupuncture vs. waiting list or other active treatment controls for knee OA post‐treatment scores analysis.

Outcome or subgroup title No. of studies No. of participants Statistical method Effect size
1 Pain (Time point equal to or less than three months and closest to eight weeks post‐randomization) 8 1999 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.60 [‐0.84, ‐0.36]
1.1 Acupuncture vs. waiting list control 4 622 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐1.03 [‐1.35, ‐0.71]
1.2 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 294 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.51 [‐0.74, ‐0.27]
1.3 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 218 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.12 [‐0.38, 0.15]
1.4 Acupuncture vs. home exercises/advice leaflet alone 1 121 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.18 [‐0.54, 0.18]
1.5 Acupuncture vs. supervised exercise alone 1 120 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.13 [‐0.49, 0.23]
1.6 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 624 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.60 [‐0.76, ‐0.44]
2 Function (Time point equal to or less than three months and closest to eight weeks post‐randomization) 7 1973 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.58 [‐0.87, ‐0.30]
2.1 Acupuncture vs. waiting list control 3 597 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐1.08 [‐1.48, ‐0.67]
2.2 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 294 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.52 [‐0.75, ‐0.28]
2.3 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 218 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) 0.00 [‐0.26, 0.27]
2.4 Acupuncture vs. home exercises/advice leaflet alone 1 121 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.21 [‐0.56, 0.15]
2.5 Acupuncture vs. supervised exercise alone 1 120 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.05 [‐0.41, 0.31]
2.6 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 623 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.67 [‐0.83, ‐0.50]
3 Total score (Time point equal to or less than three months and closest to eight weeks post‐randomization) 7 1969 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.58 [‐0.85, ‐0.30]
3.1 Acupuncture vs. waiting list control 3 593 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐1.08 [‐1.49, ‐0.68]
3.2 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 294 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.53 [‐0.77, ‐0.30]
3.3 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 218 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.03 [‐0.30, 0.24]
3.4 Acupuncture vs. home exercises/advice leaflet alone 1 121 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.21 [‐0.57, 0.15]
3.5 Acupuncture vs. supervised exercise alone 1 120 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.07 [‐0.43, 0.28]
3.6 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 623 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.57 [‐0.73, ‐0.41]
4 Pain (26 weeks after baseline) 3 1088 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.34 [‐0.70, 0.01]
4.1 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 250 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.54 [‐0.80, ‐0.29]
4.2 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 213 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) 0.06 [‐0.20, 0.33]
4.3 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 625 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.52 [‐0.68, ‐0.36]
5 Function (26 weeks after baseline) 3 1093 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.34 [‐0.64, ‐0.04]
5.1 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 250 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.50 [‐0.75, ‐0.24]
5.2 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 218 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) 0.00 [‐0.26, 0.27]
5.3 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 625 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.50 [‐0.66, ‐0.34]
6 Total score (26 weeks after baseline) 3 1084 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.34 [‐0.67, ‐0.01]
6.1 Acupuncture vs. supervised osteoarthritis education 1 250 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.51 [‐0.77, ‐0.26]
6.2 Acupuncture as an adjunct to exercise based physiotherapy program (including supervised plus home exercises) vs exercise based physiotherapy program alone (no adjuvant acupuncture) 1 209 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) 0.04 [‐0.23, 0.31]
6.3 Acupuncture vs. physician consultations (with a physiotherapy co‐intervention) 1 625 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.51 [‐0.67, ‐0.35]