Randomised trial of long term effect of acupuncture for... : PAIN (original) (raw)

Article

Guerra de Hoyos, Juan Antonioa,*; Martín, Maria del Carmen Andrésb,1; Leon, Elena Bassas y Baena dec,d,2; Lopez, Miguel Vigárae,3; López, Teresa Molinaf,4; Morilla, Francisco Antonio Verdugog,5; Moreno, Maria José Gonzálezh

a_Andalusia Public Health Service, C/La Maria 26, DP 41008 Sevilla, Spain_

b_C/Avda Eduardo Dato no. 54 3° B DP 41005, Sevilla, Spain_

c_Analysis Department, Riotinto Hospital, Andalucia Public Health Service, Huelva, Spain_

d_C/Pastor y Landero 23-25, 2° A. DP 41001 Sevilla, Spain_

e_Andalusia Public Health Service, Distrito Sanitario Este-Sur, Calle Greco s\n, Sevilla, Spain_

f_Andalusia Public Health Service, Sevilla Primary Health Care Pharmacist, C/Greco s\n, Sevilla, Spain_

g_C/Cardenal Rodrigo de Castro n°5, 1° Puerta 5, DP 41005, Seville, Spain_

h_Nursing and Physiotherapy Department, Health Sciences School, Sevilla University, Avda Sanchez Pizjuan s/n 41009 Sevilla, Spain_

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 954353964.

E-mail: [email protected]

1Tel.: +34 954632555.

2Tel.: +34 954213758.

3Tel.: +34 954182614.

4Tel.: +34 955017601; fax: +34 955017686.

5Tel.: +34 630038248.

Submitted December 9, 2003; revised August 27, 2004; accepted September 9, 2004.

☆The authors were funded by the Consejeria De Educacion y Ciencia, part of the Autonomic Andalusian Government. They also received help (permission to use installations, medication, needles) from the Andalusia Public Health Service, Distrito De Atencion Primaria de Sevilla, which is the principal author's workplace. They did not receive any other financial support from industry or any other party.

Abstract

The objective of the study is to compare the efficacy of electro-acupuncture with placebo-acupuncture for the treatment of shoulder pain. This study comprised of a prospective, randomized, placebo controlled trial, with independent evaluator set in a Public primary care clinic in Spain. The participants are patients aged from 25 to 83 years with shoulder pain. Patients were randomly allocated to two treatments over eight weeks, with electro-acupuncture or skin non-penetrating placebo-acupuncture, both able to take diclofenac if needed for intense pain. Primary outcome measure was the difference between groups in pain intensity (visual analogue scale—VAS). Secondary outcomes were differences between groups in pain intensity measured by Lattinen index, in range of motion (goniometer), functional ability (SPADI), quality of life (COOP-WONCA charts), NSAIDS intake, credibility (Borkoveck and Nau scale) and global satisfaction (10 points analogue scale). Assessments were performed before, during and three and six months after treatment. At six month follow-up after treatment the acupuncture group showed a significantly greater improvement in pain intensity compared with the control group [VAS mean difference 2.0 (95% CI 1.2–2.9)]. The acupuncture group had consistently better results in every secondary outcome measure than the control group. Acupuncture is an effective long-term treatment for patients with shoulder pain (from soft tissues lesions) in a primary care setting.