Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Richard H. Baker
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

Letters17 May 2005Acupuncture and Knee OsteoarthritisRichard H. Baker, BA(Hons,Oxon), BSc, LLB, MB, BSRichard H. Baker, BA(Hons,Oxon), BSc, LLB, MB, BSFrom Monash Medical Centre, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-10-200505170-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:The study by Berman and colleagues (1) is one of several that examines the possible role of acupuncture in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Although many aspects of Berman and colleagues' study are very impressive, there are a few points that should be discussed when evaluating it.First, the sham acupuncture involved a combined insertion and noninsertion procedure using, among other things, insertion at 2 sham points in the abdominal area. We cannot exclude the possibility that skin-penetrating acupuncture at sham sites produces analgesic effects as the result of diffuse noxious inhibitory control; these effects may be greater ...References1. Berman BM, Lao L, Langenberg P, Lee WL, Gilpin AM, Hochberg MC. Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:901-10. [PMID: 15611487] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Lewith GT, Machin D. On the evaluation of the clinical effects of acupuncture. Pain. 1983;16:111-27. [PMID: 6348651] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Streitberger K, Kleinhenz J. Introducing a placebo needle into acupuncture research. Lancet. 1998;352:364-5. [PMID: 9717924] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Chaput de Saintonge DM, Herxheimer A. Harnessing placebo effects in health care. Lancet. 1994;344:995-8. [PMID: 7934436] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Altman DG, Schulz KF, Moher D, Egger M, Davidoff F, Elbourne D, et al. The revised CONSORT statement for reporting randomized trials: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med. 2001;134:663-94. [PMID: 11304107] LinkGoogle Scholar6. Ernst E. Acupuncture research—the first 10 years in Exeter. Acupunct Med. 2003;21:100-4. [PMID: 14620305] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Richard H. Baker, BA(Hons,Oxon), BSc, LLB, MB, BSAffiliations: From Monash Medical Centre, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Revised CONSORT Statement for Reporting Randomized Trials: Explanation and Elaboration Douglas G. Altman , Kenneth F. Schulz , David Moher , Matthias Egger , Frank Davidoff , Diana Elbourne , Peter C. Gøtzsche , and Thomas Lang , for the CONSORT GroupEffectiveness of Acupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee Brian M. Berman , Lixing Lao , Patricia Langenberg , Wen Lin Lee , Adele M.K. Gilpin , and Marc C. Hochberg Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis Dan C. Cherkin and Karen J. Sherman Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis Brian Berman , Adele M.K. Gilpin , and Lixing Lao Metrics 17 May 2005Volume 142, Issue 10Page: 871KeywordsAcupunctureAnalgesicsArthritisBehaviorConflicts of interestDrug therapyDrugsKneesOsteoarthritisSurgery ePublished: 17 May 2005 Issue Published: 17 May 2005 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...