Table 2. Characteristics of included studies and outcomes measured.
| Study | Clinical condition | Number of sessions / frequency / duration per treatment | Total sample size (n = 39,916) | Acupuncture group | Type of acupuncture | Control group | Type of control | Measured Outcomes | Scales | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Women | Average age | n | Women | Average age | ||||||||
| Study that measured the four recommended domains | |||||||||||||
| Chen 2013 | Osteoarthritis | 18 sessions/ 20 minutes | 214 | 104 | 53 | 60.5 | Traditional | 109 | 57 | 60.4 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function Emotional state Improvement of the patient |
WOMAC SF-36 SF-36 PGIC |
| Studies that measured three of the recommended domains | |||||||||||||
| Liang 2011 | Non-specific neck pain | 9 sessions/ 3 weeks/ 30 minutes | 178 | 88 | 63 | 36.7 | Traditional | 90 | 66 | 37.2 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
VAS NPQ SF-36 |
| Jena 2008 | Chronic headache | 15 sessions/ 3 months | 3,404 | 1,613 | 1,243 | 43.6 | Traditional | 1,569 | 1,219 | 43.7 | Waiting list | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
days SF-36 SF-36 |
| Endres 2007 | Chronic headache | 10 sessions/ 5 weeks/ 30 minutes | 409 | 209 | 163 | 39.2 | Traditional | 200 | 158 | 38.9 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
GCPS SF-12 SF-12 |
| Haake 2007 | Non-specific back pain | 10 sessions/ 5 weeks/ 30 minutes | 1,162 | 387 | 222 | 49.6 | Traditional | 387 | 247 | 49.2 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
GCPS SF-12 SF-12 |
| Diener 2006 | Migraine | 10 sessions/ 6 weeks/ 30 minutes | 960 | 290 | 247 | 37.1 | Traditional | 317 | 257 | 38.3 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
GCPS SF-12 SF-12 |
| Scharf 2006 | Osteoarthritis | 10 sessions/ 6 weeks/ 20–30 minutes | 1,007 | 330 | 220 | 62.8 | Traditional | 367 | 255 | 63.0 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
WOMAC SF-12 SF-12 |
| Brinkhaus 2006 | Non-specific back pain | 12 sessions/ 8 weeks/ 30 minutes | 298 | 147 | 93 | 59.1 | Traditional | 75 | 55 | 58.2 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
VAS PDI ADS |
| Witt_a 2006 | Osteoarthritis | 15 sessions/ 3 months | 3,553 | 322 | 182 | 60.6 | Traditional | 310 | 198 | 61.9 | Usual care | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
WOMAC WOMAC SF-36 |
| Linde 2005 | Chronic headache | 12 sessions/ 8 weeks/ 30 minutes | 302 | 145 | 129 | 43.3 | Traditional | 81 | 73 | 41.3 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
Questionário PDI ADS |
| Melchart 2005 | Chronic headache | 12 sessions/ 6 weeks/ 30 minutes | 270 | 132 | 95 | 42.3 | Traditional | 65 | 46 | 43.4 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
PDI SF-36 ADS |
| Witt 2005 | Osteoarthritis | 12 sessions/ 8 weeks/ 30 minutes | 294 | 149 | 105 | 64.5 | Traditional | 75 | 49 | 63.4 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
WOMAC SF-36 ADS |
| White 2004 | Non-specific neck pain | 8 sessions / 4 weeks/ 20 minutes | 135 | 70 | 46 | 53.9 | Not informed | 65 | 41 | 52.8 | Simulated electrical stimulation | Pain Physical function Emotional state |
VAS NDI SF-36 |
| Studies that measured two of the recommended domains | |||||||||||||
| Irnich 2001 | Non-specific neck pain | 5 sessions/ 10 weeks/ 30 minutes | 177 | 56 | 39 | 52.3 | Traditional | 61 | 40 | 52.2 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function |
VAS SF-36 |
| Hinman 2014 | Osteoarthritis | 12 sessions/ 12 weeks/ 20 minutes | 282 | 70 | 32 | 64.3 | Traditional | 71 | 40 | 62.7 | Waiting list | Pain Physical function |
VAS WOMAC |
| Cho 2013 | Nonspecific back pain | 12 sessions/ 6 weeks | 116 | 57 | 47 | 42.3 | Traditional | 59 | 51 | 41.7 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Emotional state |
VAS BDI |
| Molsberger 2011 | Non-specific shoulder pain | 15 sessions/ 20 minutes | 424 | 154 | 88 | 50.3 | Traditional | 135 | 89 | 51.3 | Acupuncture sham | Pain Physical function |
VAS Teste físico |
| Foster 2007 | Osteoarthritis | 6 sessions/ 6 weeks/ 30 minutes | 352 | 117 | 71 | 63.1 | Traditional | 119 | 66 | 62.8 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function |
WOMAC WOMAC |
| Thomas 2006 | Nonspecific back pain | 10 sessions/ 30 minutes | 239 | 160 | 99 | 42.0 | Traditional | 81 | 46 | 44.0 | Usual care | Pain Physical function |
McGill OPI |
| Witt_b 2006 | Non-specific neck pain | 15 sessions | 13,846 | 1,753 | 1,225 | 49.8 | Traditional | 1,698 | 1,152 | 51.4 | Waiting list | Pain Physical function |
Wheeler HFAQ |
| Witt_c 2006 | Low back pain | 10 sessions/ 3 months | 11,378 | 1.451 | 837 | 53.1 | Traditional | 1,390 | 791 | 52.6 | Non Acupuncture | Pain Physical function |
LBPRS HFAQ |
| Berman 2004 | Osteoarthritis | 23 sessions/ 26 weeks/ 20 minutes | 570 | 190 | 120 | 65.2 | Traditional | 191 | 118 | 66.2 | Non-penetrating needle | Pain Physical function |
WOMAC HFAQ |
| Studies that measured one of the recommended domains | |||||||||||||
| Facco 2008 | Migraine | 20 sessions/ 10 weeks | 160 | 40 | 18 | 35.2 | Traditional | 40 | 16 | 39.4 | Non-penetrating needle | Physical function | MIDAS |
| Molsberger 2002 | Low back pain | 12 sessions/ 4 weeks/ 30 minutes | 186 | 65 | 29 | 49.0 | Traditional | 61 | 28 | 50.0 | Acupuncture sham | Pain | VAS |
WOMAC = Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, SF-36/SF-12 = Short—Form Health Survey, PGIC = Patient Global Impression of Change, VAS = Visual Analogue Scale, NPQ = Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire, GCPS = Von Korff Chronic Pain Grade Scale, PDI = Pain Disability Index, ADS = Allgemeine Depressionsskala, NDI = Neck Disability Index, BDI = Beck Depression Inventory, OPI = Owestry Pain Index, LBPRS = Low Back Pain Rating Scale, HFAQ = Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire, MIDAS = Migraine Disability Assessment Scale.