Table 4.
Change within groups and difference in change between the groups acupuncture and TENS (full analysis set, all available data)
| Outcome | Acupuncture (n=41) | TENS (n=45) | Difference between groups | |||||||
| Baseline Mean (SD) Median (min; max) |
Follow-up Mean (SD) Median (min; max) |
Mean change (SD) Median (min; max) (95% CI for mean)* n= |
P value | Baseline Mean (SD) Median (min; max) |
Follow-up Mean (SD) Median (min; max) |
Mean change (SD) Median (min; max) (95% CI for mean)* n= |
P value | Mean difference † (95% CI)‡ |
P value | |
| ODI | 32.59 (11.40) 34.00 (8.0; 60.0) |
33.07 (13.41) 34.0 (10.0; 66.0) |
0.49 (11.89) 2 (−22; 26) (−3.20 to 4.44) n=41 |
0.80 | 29.07 (10.86) 28.0 (8.0; 60.0) |
32.93 (15.24) 32.0 (2.0; 64.0) |
3.87 (12.36) 4 (−28; 34) (0.18 to 7.68) n=45 |
0.043 | −3.38 (−8.53 to 1.88) | 0.21 |
| PSFS | 2.74 (1.54) 2.5 (0; 7.0) |
3.63 (2.34) 3.5 (0; 10.0) |
0.89 (2.45) 0 (−3; 6.5) (0.11 to 1.67) n=41 |
0.025 | 3.16 (1.45) 3.0 (0.5; 7.5) |
3.14 (1.75) 3.0 (0; 8.0) |
−0.017 (1.85) 0 (−4.5; 4.5) (−0.57 to 0.54) n=45 |
0.95 | 0.91 (0.00 to 1.85) | 0.053 |
| Work ability NRS | 6.45 (2.39) 7.0 (0; 10.0) |
5.34 (3.11) 6.0 (0; 10.0) |
−1.10 (3.13) −1 (−8; 6) (−2.12 to −0.11) n=40 |
0.036 | 7.0 (2.28) 7.0 (0; 10.0) |
5.67 (2.54) 6.0 (0; 10) |
−1.33 (1.92) −1 (−6; 2) (−1.91 to −0.76) n=45 |
<0.0001 | 0.23 (−0.88 to 1.31) | 0.70 |
| Recommended PA; n (%) | 9 (22.0) | 8 (19.5) | −0.02 (0.42) 0 (−1; 1) (−0.15 to 0.11) n=41 |
1.00 | 10 (22.2) | 9 (20.0) | −0.02 (0.40) 0 (−1; 1) (−0.14 to 0.10) n=45 |
1.00 | −0.002 (−0.17 to 0.17) | 1.00 |
| PGQ total | 46.68 (16.30) 48.64 (8.0; 89.72) |
47.30 (16.32) 51.02 (12.0; 80.0) |
0.82 (16.26) 3 (−34.67; 32) (−4.51 to 6.18) n=39 |
0.76 | 45.25 (11.76) 42.16 (22.22; 69.33) |
48.30 (16.74) 47.82 (12.50; 81.94) |
3.84 (14.49) 2.05 (−38.17; 34.67) (−0.48 to 8.17) n=44 |
0.086 | −3.03 (−9.74 to 3.63) | 0.37 |
| PGQ activity | 44.93 (15.72 48.33 (6.67; 75.0) |
47.02 (17.10) 49.12 (11.67; 78.94) |
2.37 (15.65) 3.33 (−31.76; 31.67) (−2.77 to 7.44) n=39 |
0.35 | 44.56 (12.16) 42.72 (24.56; 70.0) |
48.00 (17.05) 46.67 (10.52; 82.45) |
4.24 (14.81) 3.42 (−37.81; 33.33) (−0.21 to 8.66) n=44 |
0.064 | −1.87 (−8.50 to 4.76) | 0.58 |
| PGQ symptoms | 49.83 (16.40) 53.33 (13.33; 86.67) |
48.42 (18.10) 48.33 (13.33; 86.67) |
−1.45 (20.67) 0 (−53.33; 33.33) (−8.24 to 5.21) n=39 |
0.66 | 48.00 (13.38) 46.67 (13.33; 73.33) |
49.48 (18.12) 46.67 (0; 86.67) |
1.48 (17.69) 6.67 (−40; 40) (−3.86 to 6.67) n=45 |
0.58 | −2.93 (−11.33 to 5.56) | 0.50 |
| Evening pain NRS | 6.82 (1.8) 7.0 (2.0; 9.5) |
5.58 (2.26) 6.0 (1.0; 9.0) |
1.26 (2.64) 1 (−7; 4) (−2.12 to −0.40) n=39 |
0.0052 | 6.60 (1.5) 7.0 (3.0; 9.0) |
5.33 (2.36) 6.0 (0; 9.0) |
−1.27 (2.27) −1 (−9; 3) (−1.94 to −0.60) n=45 |
0.0002 | 0.01 (−1.06 to 1.07) | 1.00 |
| Concern about pain NRS | 3.95 (2.24) 5.0 (0; 8.0) |
2.43 (2.15) 2.0 (0; 7.0) |
−1.45 (2.43) −2 (−7; 6) (−2.25 to −0.68) n=40 |
0.0007 | 4.62 (2.41) 5.0 (0; 10.0) |
2.62 (2.20) 2.0 (0; 8.0) |
−2.00 (2.52) −2 (−8; 2) (−2.77 to −1.25) n=45 |
<0.0001 | 0.55 (−0.52 to 1.63) | 0.32 |
| EQ5D | 0.58 (0.25) 0.69 (−0.13; 0.85) |
0.62 (0.23) 0.69 (−0.07; 0.88) |
0.03 (0.32) 0 (−0.76; 0.75) (−0.08 to 0.13) n=39 |
0.61 | 0.65 (0.18) 0.69 (−0.02; 0.89) |
0.55 (0.29) 0.66 (−0.13; 1.0) |
−0.10 (0.31) −0.04 (−0.91; 0.61) (−0.20 to −0.01) n=44 |
0.036 | 0.13 (−0.01 to 0.27) | 0.073 |
| EQ5D vertical VAS | 62.24 (16.39) 65.0 (30.0; 90.0) |
63.17 (16.38) 65.0 (25.0; 90.0) |
0.93 (20.27) 0 (−47; 50) (−5.60 to 7.28) n=41 |
0.78 | 66.20 (15.16) 70.0 (27.0; 95.0) |
63.78 (19.51) 70.0 (19.0; 90.0) |
−2.42 (19.75) −1 (−55; 47) (−8.25 to 3.45) n=45 |
0.42 | 3.35 (−5.31 to 11.75) | 0.45 |
| EPDS | 6.83 (3.99) 6.0 (1.0; 15.0) |
6,15 (4.73) 5.0 (0; 15.0) |
−0.85 (4.27) −1 (−10; 11) (−2.25 to 0.52) n=39 |
0.24 | 7.38 (4.91) 6.0 (0; 18.0) |
6.27 (4.93) 5.0 (0; 21.0) |
−1.11 (4.46) 0 (−12; 9) (−2.43 to 0.24) n=45 |
0.11 | 0.27 (−1.65 to 2.17) | 0.79 |
| CSQ-CAT | 7.15 (5.98) 6.0 (0; 27) |
4.49 (5.44) 2.0 (0; 18.0) |
−2.60 (6.00) −2.5 (−15; 12) (−4.50 to −0.70) n=40 |
0.010 | 6.07 (4.83) 6.0 (0; 24.0) |
5.11 (5.84) 4.0 (0; 28.0) |
−1.09 (4.50) −1 (−10; 17) (−2.44 to 0.27) n=44 |
0.12 | −1.51 (−3.82 to 0.78) | 0.20 |
*For comparison within groups the Fisher’s non-parametric permutation test for matched pairs was used.
†For comparison between groups the Fisher’s non-parametric permutation test was used for continuous variables.
‡The CI for then mean difference between groups is based on Fisher’s non-parametric permutation test.
CSQ-CAT, Coping Strategies Questionnaire subscale ‘Catastrophizing’; EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; EQ5D, EuroQol 5-dimension; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; ODI, Oswestry Disability Index; PA, physical activity; PGQ, Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire; PSFS, Patient-Specific Functional Scale; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.