Table 3.
Pairwise meta-analysis of response rate.
| Comparison | Number | RR (95% CI) | I 2 | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | CM | 25 | 1.21 (1.15, 1.27) ∗ | 44% | 0.01 |
| MA | FA | 1 | 0.80 (0.62, 1.02) | — | — |
| MA | AM | 1 | 0.89 (0.74, 1.08) | — | — |
| MA | SA | 1 | 1.68 (1.17, 2.42) ∗ | — | — |
| EA | MA | 1 | 1.12 (0.93, 1.35) | — | — |
| EA | CM | 2 | 1.14 (0.98, 1.52) | 0 | 0.73 |
| AM | CM | 1 | 1.08 (0.84, 1.40) | — | — |
| AM + CM | CM | 3 | 1.25 (1.10, 1.42) ∗ | 0% | 0.40 |
| MA + CM | CM | 10 | 1.20 (1.14, 1.26) ∗ | 0% | 0.68 |
| EA + CM | CM | 4 | 1.12 (0.92, 1.36) | 82% | 0.0008 |
| EA + CM | MA + CM | 1 | 1.22 (0.98, 1.52) | — | — |
| MA + EA | MA | 1 | 1.50 (1.13, 1.99) ∗ | — | — |
| MA + EA | EA | 2 | 1.33 (1.03, 1.72) ∗ | 0 | 1 |
∗ Significant difference. MA: manual acupuncture; EA: electroacupuncture; AM: acupuncture-moxibustion; FA: fire acupuncture; SA: sham acupuncture; CM: conventional medicine.