Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Brian Berman, Adele M.K. Gilpin, Lixing Lao
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

Letters17 May 2005Acupuncture and Knee OsteoarthritisBrian Berman, MD, Adele M.K. Gilpin, PhD, JD, and Lixing Lao, PhD, LAcBrian Berman, MDFrom University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21207.Search for more papers by this author, Adele M.K. Gilpin, PhD, JDFrom University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21207.Search for more papers by this author, and Lixing Lao, PhD, LAcFrom University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21207.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-10-200505170-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:Dr. Baker stated that insertion of 2 abdominal needles in the sham procedure might have triggered a diffuse noxious inhibitory control mechanism, causing a positive response in the sham group above that for inert placebo. If this did occur, the specific effect size of true acupuncture was underestimated.We asked a masking effectiveness question after 4 and 26 weeks of treatment. The sham and true acupuncture groups did not differ significantly in the percentage who guessed that they received true acupuncture at 4 weeks but did differ at 26 weeks. If these guesses were related to needling sensation, ...References1. Schulz KF, Grimes DA. Blinding in randomised trials: hiding who got what. Lancet. 2002;359:696-700. [PMID: 11879884] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Lao L, Hamilton GR, Fu J, Berman BM. Is acupuncture safe? A systematic review of case reports. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003;9:72-83. [PMID: 12564354] MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Bjordal JM, Ljunggren AE, Klovning A, Slørdal L. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors, in osteoarthritic knee pain: meta-analysis of randomised placebo controlled trials. BMJ. 2004;329:1317. [PMID: 15561731] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Towheed TE, Judd MJ, Hochberg MC, Wells G. Acetaminophen for osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;:CD004257. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. Lo GH, LaValley M, McAlindon T, Felson DT. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid in treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2003;290:3115-21. [PMID: 14679274] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Altman RD. Pain relief in osteoarthritis: the rationale for combination therapy [Editorial]. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:5-7. [PMID: 14705209] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21207.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEffectiveness 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 Richard H. Baker Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis Dan C. Cherkin and Karen J. Sherman Metrics Cited ByAcupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritisA Blinded Randomised Trial of Acupuncture (Manual and Electroacupuncture) Compared with a Non-Penetrating Sham for the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of the Knee 17 May 2005Volume 142, Issue 10Page: 872-873KeywordsAcupunctureAnalysis of varianceConflicts of interestDrugsKneesOsteoarthritis ePublished: 17 May 2005 Issue Published: 17 May 2005 CopyrightCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...