Table 2.
Basic characteristics of eligible RCTs.
| Study ID | Sample size T/C | Diagnostic criteria | Intervention | Period (w) | Outcome | Drop out | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trial group | Control group | ||||||
| Dai et al. [2] | 80 (38/36) | 2 | Moxibustion | Celecoxib | 4/4 | Total effective rate, VAS, WOMAC | T : 2, C : 4 |
| Bu et al. [20] | 62 (31/31) | 2 | Three-volt heat-sensitive wheat moxibustion | Futaline emulsion | 4/4 | Total effective rate, VAS | NR |
| Yao [21] | 80 (40/40) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 8/8 | Total effective rate, VAS, LKSS, Symptom score | NR |
| Chao [22] | 82 (41/41) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 3/3 | WOMAC, LKSS | NR |
| Li et al. [23] | 80 (40/40) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 2/2 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, Lequesne–Mery | NR |
| Ren [24] | 108 (54/54) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Glucosamine sulfate tablets | 20/20 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Chen et al. [25] | 60 (30/30) | 2 | moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 4/4 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, Lequesne–Mery | NR |
| Wang et al. [26] | 50 (25/21) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | No treatment | 3/3 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | T : 0, C : 4 |
| Huang and Ji [27] | 60 (30/30) | 2 | Thunder fire moxibustion | Celecoxib | 5/5 | WOMAC, VAS | NR |
| Chi et al. [28] | 120 (40/40/40) | 1 | Heat-sensitive moxibustion | Sodium hyaluronate | 4/4 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Ji [29] | 96 (48/48) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Nabumetone capsules | 6/6 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Ren et al. [30] | 150 (69/67) | ACR | Moxibustion | Placebo moxibustion | 6/6 | Non | T : 8, C : 6 |
| Sit et al. [31] | 110 (55/55) | ACR | Moxibustion | Placebo moxibustion | 6/6 | WOMAC | NR |
| Cui [32] | 90 (29/30/30) | 2 | Warm-needling moxibustion | Glucosamine sulfate tablets | 3/3 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, Lysholm | T : 1, C : 0 |
| Huang et al. [33] | 120 (60/60) | 1 | HCPM | Diclofenac sodium | 4/4 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Zhang and Li [34] | 60 (30/30) | 1 | SACM | Diclofenac sodium | 2/2 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Wang [35] | 60 (30/30) | 2 | Gingpao moxibustion | Sodium hyaluronate | 8/8 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, VAS, Symptom score | NR |
| Deng et al. [36] | 70 (45/45) | 2 | Salt-separated moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 4/4 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Li et al. [37] | 80 (42/38) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 4/4 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Kim et al. [38] | 212 (102/110) | ACR | Moxibustion | UC | 5/5 | WOMAC | NR |
| Zhao et al. [39] | 110 (55/55) | ACR | Moxibustion | Placebo moxibustion | 6/6 | WOMAC | NR |
| Zhang [40] | 80 (40/40) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Xu et al. [41] | 60 (30/30) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate, HSS | NR |
| Jiang et al. [42] | 90 (42/44) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Glucosamine sulfate tablets | 8/8 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, knee flexion | T : 3, C : 1 |
| Song et al. [43] | 80 (40/40) | 2 | Sanqi cake moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Qiu [44] | 74 (36/38) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 4/4 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Ren and Le [45] | 150 (50/50/50) | 1 | Warm-needling moxibustion | Sodium hyaluronate | 3/3 | Total effective rate, VAS, Lysholm, Symptom score | NR |
| Hong et al. [46] | 78 (38/37) | ACR | Crude herb moxibustion | Glucosamine sulfate | 12/6 | Total effective rate, Symptom score | T : 2, C : 1 |
| Lin [47] | 64 (31/31) | ACR | Crude herb moxibustion | Glucosamine sulfate | 12/6 | Total effective rate, WOMAC, Symptom score | T : 1, C : 1 |
| Yang et al. [48] | 120 (60/60) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Celecoxib | 4/4 | Total effective rate, VAS, Lequesne | NR |
| Ren et al. [49] | 65 (31/28) | ACR | Moxibustion | Placebo moxibustion | 6/6 | WOMAC | T : 2, C : 4 |
| Wu and Xiong [50] | 50 (24/26) | 1 | Heat-sensitive moxibustion | Sodium hyaluronate | 3/3 | Total effective rate, Symptom score | NR |
| Fu et al. [51] | 68 (37/31) | ACR | Moxibustion | Sodium hyaluronate | 24/24 | Total effective rate, VAS, Lysholm | NR |
| Ren et al. [52] | 100 (50/50) | 1 | HCPM | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Ding et al. [53] | 90 (30/30/30) | ACR | Warm-needling moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 2/2 | Total effective rate, WOMAC | NR |
| Nie et al. [54] | 116 (58/58) | 1 | Thunder fire moxibustion | Ibuprofen | 5/5 | Total effective rate | NR |
| Zhang [55] | 60 (30/30) | 2 | Moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 2/2 | Total effective rate, Lequesne | NR |
| Sun et al. [56] | 60 (29/27) | 1 | SACM | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate, Symptom score | T : 1, C : 3 |
| Wu et al. [57] | 114 (60/54) | ACR | Moxibustion | Diclofenac sodium | 3/3 | Total effective rate | NR |
Note: 1 = guiding principles of clinical research on new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine; 2 = guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis 2007/2010; ACR = American College of Rheumatology; UC = regimen performed according to own intention; NR = not reported; AKS = American Knee Society Knee score; VAS = Visual Analogue scale; LKSS = Lysholm knee score; HSS = hospital for special surgery knee score; SF-36 scale = short form 36 questionnaire; WOMAC = Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index; HCPM = herb cake-partitioned moxibustion; SACM = separated aconite cake mild moxibustion.