Table 2.

Grade Quality of evidence of acupuncture plus drug therapy for cancer pain.

Outcomes	Illustrative comparative risks∗ (95% CI)		Relative effect (95% CI)	Number of participants (studies)	Quality of the evidence (GRADE)
	Assumed risk Control	Corresponding risk Acupuncture plus analgesic
Response rate for relieving pain pain scale Follow-up: 7–30 days	772 per 1000   816 per 1000	Study population 911 per 1000 (841 to 980) Moderate 963 per 1000 (889 to 1000)	RR 1.18 (1.09 to 1.27)	845 (11 studies)	⊕  ⊝  ⊝  ⊝ Very low1,4
Onset time of pain relief Follow-up: 7–28 days		The mean onset time of pain relief in the intervention groups was 1.06 standard deviations lower (1.34 to 0.79 lower)		230 (4 studies)	⊕  ⊝  ⊝  ⊝ Very low1,2,3
Duration of pain relief Follow-up: 7–28 days		The mean duration of pain relief in the intervention groups was 1.03 standard deviations higher (0.49 to 1.57 higher)		268 (5 studies)	⊕  ⊝  ⊝  ⊝ Very low1,2,3,4
QOL Follow-up: 7–30 days		The mean score of QOLl in the intervention groups was 1.44 standard deviations higher (0.43 to 2.44 higher)		196 (3 studies)	⊕  ⊝  ⊝  ⊝ Very low1,2,3,4

¹None of the trials were blinded; most of them did not mention randomization process and allocation concealment.

²Total sample size is less than calculated optimal information size.

³Published evidence is limited to a small number of trials, all of which are showing benefits.

⁴Confidence intervals with minimal overlap, the heterogeneity is significant.

The GRADE profile noted “∗” means the basis for the assumed risk (e.g., the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).