Table 2. Primary and secondary outcomes at each visit.
| Acupuncture group (n = 75) | Artificial tears group (n = 75) | Adjusted difference† | ||||||||||||
| Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | (95% CI) | ||||||||||||
| Baseline | During treatment | Follow up | Baseline | During treatment | Follow up | During treatment | Follow up | |||||||
| 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 8 weeks | 12 weeks | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 8 weeks | 12 weeks | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 8 weeks | 12 weeks | |||
| OSDI | 50.05 (21.63) | 33.67 (17.35) | 33.94 (20.16) | 34.70 (20.57) | 33.90 (21.42) | 52.75 (18.79) | 39.65 (17.94) | 37.38 (17.61) | 38.37 (19.51) | 41.99 (21.54) | −3.28(−7.06, 0.50) | −0.75(−4.22, 2.72) | −0.98(−4.08, 2.14) | −5.39*(−8.62, −2.16) |
| VAS | 66.67 (19.18) | 48.77 (21.44) | 42.83 (23.74) | 47.29 (22.90) | 42.79 (26.88) | 67.52 (17.31) | 46.23 (17.92) | 45.32 (20.24) | 51.07 (23.07) | 52.81 (24.12) | 3.40(−0.52, 7.32) | −1.64(−5.17, 1.89) | −2.92(−7.99, 2.15) | −9.17*(−13.70, −4.65) |
| QOL | 4.04 (1.20) | 3.01 (1.34) | 2.72 (1.22) | 2.96 (1.31) | 2.95 (1.47) | 4.08 (1.21) | 3.12 (1.11) | 2.88 (1.15) | 3.12 (1.30) | 3.32 (1.37) | −0.07(−0.31, 0.18) | −0.12(−0.40, 0.15) | −0.12(−0.37, 0.13) | −0.34(−0.58, −0.09) |
| BUT | 6.19 (2.18) | 6.80 (2.25) | 6.68 (2.85) | 6.01 (1.98) | 5.89 (2.02) | 5.89 (1.99) | 0.73*(0.32, 1.14) | 0.61(0.14, 1.07) | ||||||
| Schirmer | 4.49 (2.56) | 4.88 (3.70) | 5.95 (5.02) | 4.16 (2.66) | 4.95 (4.34) | 5.28 (4.07) | −0.40(−0.75, −0.05) | 0.33(0.02, 0.64) | ||||||
ANCOVA was used for the statistical analysis of changes from baseline in each outcome between two groups. *P<0.05.
†
All the outcomes were adjusted for baseline values and clinical research centres. Negative values of adjusted difference in OSDI, VAS and QOL (positive difference in BUT and Schirmer) are in favour of acupuncture group.