Table 3.
Methodological Characteristics of Included RCT Ear Acupuncture Studies of Pain Management in the Emergency Setting
| Experimental group | Control group | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First author, year & setting | Condition | Study design (acupuncture practitioner qualification) | Intervention | Length of time needles retained | Number & locations of acupuncture points | Intervention | Method/acupuncture points number & locations |
| Allais, 201133 clinic, Italy | Migraines | 2 arms, acupuncture (n = 46) & sham (n = 48) (not specified) | Acupuncture | 24 h | Several (not specified): Ear: Thalamus (bilateral) | Sham | Four: Nonsensitive sciatic point on antihelix inferior crus × 2 bilateral |
| Barker, 200616 prehospital, Austria | Hip fractures | 2 arms, acupressure (n = 18) & sham (n = 20) (paramedics inexperienced in acupuncture) | Acupressure | N/A | 3 ear: Shenmen; Hip point; & Tranquilizer point (bilateral) | Sham | 2 ear: Stomach point bilateral (concha ridge) |
| Goertz, 200631 ED, US | Mixed | 2 arms, AdjEA (n = 50) & standard care (n = 50) (medical acupuncturist) | AdjEA | 4–6 d | 4 ear: Cingulate, Thalamus (bilateral) | SAC | SAC |
| Gu, 1993,29 ED, China | Biliary colic | 2 arms AdjEA (n = 30) & standard care (n = 18) (not specified) | Acupuncture | 20 min | 2 ear: Point Zero, De Qi every 3–5 min (bilateral) | SAC | 0.5 mg atropine & 25 mg promethazine |
| Moss, 2015,32 general practice, US | Sore throat | 2 arms AdjEA (n = 27) & standard care (n = 27) (certified acupuncturist and physicians inexperienced in acupuncture) | AdjEA | 48 h | Up to 10 ear: Cingulate; Thalamus; Omega 2; Point Zero; Shenmen (bilateral) | SAC | Ibuprofen or equivalent PRN |
| Fox, 2016,28a ED, US | Low-back pain | 2 arms, AdjEA (n = 15) & standard care (n = 15) (certified acupuncturist and physicians inexperienced in acupuncture) | AdjEA | Not specified | Up to 10 ear: Cingulate; Thalamus; Omega 2; Point Zero; Shenmen (bilateral) | SAC | SAC |
a
Abstract only.
RCT, randomized controlled trial; h, hours; N/A, not applicable; AdjEA, ear acupuncture-as-an adjunct to other analgesia; d, days; SAC, standard analgesia care; ED, emergency department; min, minutes; PRN, pro re nata (as needed).