Acupuncture Research in the Era of Comparative Effectiveness Research
Authors: Remy R. Coeytaux, Jongbae J. Park
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2013)

Editorials19 February 2013Acupuncture Research in the Era of Comparative Effectiveness ResearchRemy R. Coeytaux, MD, PhD and Jongbae J. Park, DKM, PhD, LAcRemy R. Coeytaux, MD, PhDFrom Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina; and Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Search for more papers by this author and Jongbae J. Park, DKM, PhD, LAcFrom Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina; and Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00010 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In this issue, Brinkhaus and colleagues (1) evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). They enrolled 422 individuals with SAR and IgE sensitization to birch and grass pollen in a multicenter trial in Germany. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 12 acupuncture treatments, 12 sham acupuncture treatments, or no acupuncture over 8 weeks between March and July. All patients were permitted to take the antihistamine medication cetirizine as a rescue medication, as well as an oral corticosteroid if symptoms were not adequately controlled with cetirizine. At the primary end point (8 weeks after randomization), ...References1. Brinkhaus B, Ortiz M, Witt CM, Roll S, Linde K, Pfab F, et al. Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:225-34. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Kuehr J, Brauburger J, Zielen S, Schauer U, Kamin W, Von Berg A, et al. Efficacy of combination treatment with anti-IgE plus specific immunotherapy in polysensitized children and adolescents with seasonal allergic rhinitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;109:274-80. [PMID: 11842297] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Brinkhaus B, Hummelsberger J, Kohnen R, Seufert J, Hempen CH, Leonhardy H, et al. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized-controlled clinical trial. Allergy. 2004;59:953-60. [PMID: 15291903] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Brinkhaus B, Witt CM, Jena S, Liecker B, Wegscheider K, Willich SN. Acupuncture in patients with allergic rhinitis: a pragmatic randomized trial. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2008;101:535-43. [PMID: 19055209] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Kallmes DF, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Turner JA, Wilson DJ, Diamond TH, et al. A randomized trial of vertebroplasty for osteoporotic spinal fractures. N Engl J Med. 2009;361:569-79. [PMID: 19657122] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Moseley JB, O'Malley K, Petersen NJ, Menke TJ, Brody BA, Kuykendall DH, et al. A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:81-8. [PMID: 12110735] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Kim SY, Lee H, Chae Y, Park HJ, Lee H. A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses alongside randomised controlled trials of acupuncture. Acupunct Med. 2012;30:273-85. [PMID: 23099289] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, Lewith G, MacPherson H, Foster NE, et al; Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration. Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:1444-53. [PMID: 22965186] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Remy R. Coeytaux, MD, PhD; Jongbae J. Park, DKM, PhD, LAcAffiliations: From Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina; and Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Disclaimer: The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.Financial Support: Dr. Park was supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health (award K12DE022793).Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M13-0016.Corresponding Author: Remy R. Coeytaux, MD, PhD, Duke Evidence-based Practice Center, Duke Clinical Research Institute, PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Coeytaux: Duke Evidence-based Practice Center, Duke Clinical Research Institute, PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715.Dr. Park: UNC Memorial Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, CB 7200, Room N1108, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7200. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAcupuncture in Patients With Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Benno Brinkhaus , Miriam Ortiz , Claudia M. Witt , Stephanie Roll , Klaus Linde , Florian Pfab , Bodo Niggemann , Josef Hummelsberger , András Treszl , Johannes Ring , Torsten Zuberbier , Karl Wegscheider , and Stefan N. Willich Metrics Cited byBlinding, sham, and treatment effects in randomized controlled trials for back pain in 2000–2019: A review and meta-analytic approachAcupuncture and related interventions for carpal tunnel syndrome: systematic reviewPhysician Communication to Enhance Patient Acupuncture Engagement in Family MedicineAdjunctive acupuncture for pain and symptom management in the inpatient setting: protocol for a pilot hybrid effectiveness-implementation studyAcupuncture and allergic rhinitisAcupuncture is More Than Placebo TreatmentAcupuncture and Women's Health: The Road Ahead 19 February 2013Volume 158, Issue 4Page: 287-288KeywordsAcupunctureAllergic rhinitisClinical trialsComparative effectiveness researchLower back painPilot studiesQuestionnairesRehabilitation medicineRhinitisSARS coronavirus ePublished: 19 February 2013 Issue Published: 19 February 2013 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2013 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...