Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Jul 30:2020:1686952.
doi: 10.1155/2020/1686952. eCollection 2020.

Effect of Electroacupuncture versus Sham Electroacupuncture in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Qi Wang  1   2 , Hui Lv  2 , Zhao-Tian Sun  2 , Jian-Feng Tu  3 , Yong-Wei Feng  2 , Tian-Qi Wang  3 , Cun-Zhi Liu  1   3
Affiliations

Effect of Electroacupuncture versus Sham Electroacupuncture in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Qi Wang et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To explore the feasibility of evaluating the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture versus sham electroacupuncture for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Method: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted at a teaching hospital in Beijing. A total of 30 patients with KOA (Kellgren grade II or III) were randomly allocated to an eight-week treatment of either electroacupuncture or sham electroacupuncture. Patients and outcome assessors were blinded to group allocation. The primary outcome was the proportion of responders achieving at least 1.14 seconds decrease in the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) at week eight compared with baseline. The secondary outcomes included the knee range of motion, the knee extensor and flexor muscle strength, Lequesne index, 9-step stair-climb test (9-SCT), and TUG.

Results: Of 30 patients allocated to two groups, 27 (90%) completed the study. The proportion of responders was 53.3% (8 of 15) for electroacupuncture group and 26.7% (4 of 15) for sham electroacupuncture group by the intention-to-treat analysis (P = 0.264). There was no statistically significant difference in TUG between the two groups at eight weeks (P = 0.856). The compliance rate measured according to patients who conformed to the protocol and had received treatments ≥20 times was 93.3% (28 of 30). The dropout rate was 20% (3 of 15). Adverse effects were not reported in the study.

Conclusion: Our research demonstrated that further evaluation of the effectiveness of electroacupuncture versus sham electroacupuncture was feasible and safe for patients with KOA. Whether or not the electroacupuncture can improve the physical functions of knee joint, expand the knee range of motion, and increase the extensor and flexor muscle strength more significantly than sham electroacupuncture, future studies can be designed with larger sample size, randomization design and less biases. This trial is registered with NCT03366363.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the trial: patients of each group received three sessions weekly for eight weeks (one session every other day).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Roos E. M., Arden N. K. Strategies for the prevention of knee osteoarthritis. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2016;12(2):92–101. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2015.135. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Blagojevic M., Jinks C., Jeffery A., Jordan K. P. Risk factors for onset of osteoarthritis of the knee in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2010;18(1):24–33. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2009.08.010. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mahir L., Zahi S., Belhaj K., Lmidmani F., El Fatimi A. Interest of isokinetic in the cauda equina syndrome. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2016;59:e129–e130. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2016.07.291. - DOI
    1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Evidence-Based Guideline. 2nd. Rosemont, IL, USA: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 2013. - PubMed
    1. Abramson S. B., Attur M. Developments in the scientific understanding of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy. 2009;11(3):p. 227. doi: 10.1186/ar2655. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Associated data

LinkOut - more resources