Table 5.

Outcomes of randomized controlled trials comparing Acupuncture and Moxibustion Combined (AMC) with acupuncture

Studies	Intervention and number of subjects		Outcome measurement	Outcomes** (Cured no./Total no., Cured %)		Treatment effect:
	Group 1	Group 2		Group 1	Group 2	Cured rate: RR (95% CI)
Li (1998) [28]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief: cured rate based on subjective report	49/60	15/30	1.63 (1.12 to 2.38)
	N = 60	N = 30		81.7%	50%	P = 0.01*
Liu (2008) [23]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	28/37	6/26	3.28 (1.58 to 6.77)
	N = 37	N = 26		76%	23%	P = 0.0013*
Shen (1999) [20]	AMC	Electro-acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	10/27	32/41	0.47 (0.28 to 0.80)
	N = 27	N = 41		37%	78%	P = 0.005*
Wang (2007) [24]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	22/36	9/36	2.44 (1.31 to 4.56)
	N = 36	N = 36		61.1%	25%	P = 0.005*
Wang (2008) [25]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	15/32	6/32	2.50 (1.11 to 5.62)
	N = 32	N = 32		46.9%	18.8%	P = 0.03*
Wu (2003) [26]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	56/74	13/52	3.03 (1.86 to 4.93)
	N = 74	N = 52		75%	25%	P < 0.0001*
Zhao (2003) [27]	AMC	Acupuncture	Pain relief and range of movement: cured rate based on subjective report	23/25	16/24	1.38 (1.02 to 1.87)
	N = 25	N = 24		92%	66.6%	P = 0.04*

*: P < 0.05 statistically significant difference between two groups. **: Outcomes were measured at the end of last treatment, except for those specifically mentioned.

95% CI, 95% Confidence Interval; AMC, acupuncture and moxibustion combined; RR, Relative Risk.