Guest guest Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 The study claims only a " tiny effect " above the " sham " acupuncture. Basically, the sham control consisted of acupressure (palpating points to some degree) and a kind of Toyo Hari treatment. Idiots. This is the kind of thing that really pisses me off about biomedical CAM researchers. They are ignorant regarding the subtler aspects of Oriental Medicine, look for the purely biomechanical stimulus, and so design poor studies that accidentally include potentially active treatments as shams. Why didn't they tape to non-points? Why didn't they use, say, plastic, non-conductive filaments instead of metal needle in the sham group, and rule out electromagnetic effects? Studies like this will be used to marginalize acupuncture, claiming mild, nearly clinically useless results, and as an adjunctive therapy only. Insurance won't pay, docs won't refer, and we'll be included in the system only in order to shut us out. Brilliant. Benjamin Hawes, MAOM, Lic. Ac., CORTEZ FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE 1430 E. Main Street, Suite #4 Cortez, CO 81321 (970) 565-0230 > Message: 1 > Wed, 3 Nov 2004 21:23:38 -0000 > " Attilio D'Alberto " <attiliodalberto > New acupuncture research article for knee arthritis > > Traditional Chinese Acupuncture May Be Effective for Osteoarthritis of > Knee > > Jane Salodof MacNeil > Medscape Medical News 2004. © 2004 Medscape > > Oct. 20, 2004 (San Antonio) - Traditional Chinese acupuncture > reduces > knee pain and improves function for osteoarthritis patients, according > to a 26-week, randomized controlled trial funded by the National > Institutes of Health and reported yesterday at the annual scientific > meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. > > Lead investigator Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, from the University of > Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, presented data showing that > patients treated with traditional acupuncture improved more than > control > groups given either a " sham " acupuncture treatment or an educational > alternative. All 570 patients were told to continue using their > analgesic or anti-inflammatory medications during the trial. > > Average pain and function subscores on the Western Ontario and > McMaster > Universities Osteoarthritis Index were 8.94 and 31.7, respectively, > with > no difference between treatment groups at baseline. Pain scores > decreased by 3.79 points and function scores by 12.42 points for > traditional acupuncture patients who completed 26 weeks of therapy. > Control subjects receiving the sham treatment showed a more modest > improvement: reductions of 2.92 points for pain and 9.87 for function. > > The comparative changes in pain and function scores were > statistically > significant and " significantly better " than the outcomes for the > education group, according to Dr. Hochberg. He noted that the > educational alternative, Arthritis Self-Help Course, a 12-week series > of > two-hour group sessions, had previously been proven effective as an > adjunct therapy. > > The " sham " acupuncture consisted mostly of needles taped, instead > of > inserted, to specific points on a patient's body. Because all of the > patients were new to acupuncture, Dr. Hochberg said, they did not know > they were not receiving the traditional Chinese treatment for Bi > syndrome, a diagnosis of knee pain. > > Two thirds of the largely white population was women. Their average > age > was 65.5 years. > > " Our study validates the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese > acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for patients with symptomatic > osteoarthritis of the knee, " Dr. Hochberg told Medscape. > > " It is part of the plethora of options available to the physician > for > treating his or her patient, " he added, suggesting that it can be > especially useful for patients who have a medical condition that > precludes surgery. " I would say this study moves traditional Chinese > acupuncture from the so-called list of unproven remedies the Arthritis > Foundation used to have to the list of proven remedies. " > > A medical advisor for the Arthritis Foundation who participated in > a > description of acupuncture as unproven told Medscape the statement > should be reconsidered and probably would be in light of the study. > David T. Felson, MD, MPH, from the Boston University Medical Campus in > Massachusetts, said, however, that the language is not likely to change > considerably. > > " This does provide new evidence that is important, and it would > make > sense for the Arthritis Foundation to reconsider, " Dr. Felson said, but > he described the effects of acupuncture as " really tiny " compared with > the sham treatment in the study. > > A current Arthritis Foundation statement describes acupuncture as > " an > accepted arthritis treatment in many parts of the world for arthritis > and related conditions. " It describes acupuncture as safe and says it > is > " probably worth a try, especially if other treatments aren't working > for > you. " > > ACR 68th Annual Scientific Meeting: Abstract 1718. Presented Oct. > 19, > 2004. > > Attilio > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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