Efficacy of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of migraine: a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

 

 

Taken from: Lancet Neurology DOI:10.1016/S1474-4422(06)70382-9

 

 

Summary

 

Background

 

Our aim was to assess the efficacy of a part-standardised verum acupuncture

procedure, in accordance with the rules of traditional Chinese medicine,

compared with that of part-standardised sham acupuncture and standard

migraine prophylaxis with beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, or

antiepileptic drugs in the reduction of migraine days 26 weeks after the

start of treatment.

 

Methods

 

This study was a prospective, randomised, multicentre, double-blind,

parallel-group, controlled, clinical trial, undertaken between April 2002

and July 2005. Patients who had two to six migraine attacks per month were

randomly assigned verum acupuncture (n=313), sham acupuncture (n=339), or

standard therapy (n=308). Patients received ten sessions of acupuncture

treatment in 6 weeks or continuous prophylaxis with drugs. Primary outcome

was the difference in migraine days between 4 weeks before randomisation and

weeks 23-26 after randomisation. This study is registered as an

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN52683557.

 

Findings

 

Of 1295 patients screened, 960 were randomly assigned to a treatment group.

Immediately after randomisation, 125 patients (106 from the standard group)

withdrew their consent to study participation. 794 patients were analysed in

the intention-to-treat popoulation and 443 in the per-protocol population.

The primary outcome showed a mean reduction of 2 .3 days (95% CI 1.9-2.7) in

the verum acupuncture group, 1.5 days (1.1-2.0) in the sham acupuncture

group, and 2.1 days (1.5-2.7) in the standard therapy group. These

differences were statistically significant compared with baseline

(p<0.0001), but not across the treatment groups (p=0.09). The proportion of

responders, defined as patients with a reduction of migraine days by at

least 50%, 26 weeks after randomisation, was 47% in the verum group, 39% in

the sham acupuncture group, and 40% in the standard group (p=0.133).

 

Interpretation

 

Treatment outcomes for migraine do not differ between patients treated with

sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture, or standard therapy.

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Attilio D'Alberto

Doctor of (Beijing, China)

B.Sc. (Hons) T.C.M. M.A.T.C.M.

Editor

Times

07786 198900

enquiries

<http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/> www.chinesemedicinetimes.com

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Attilio D'Alberto wrote:

<snip>

> Interpretation

>

> Treatment outcomes for migraine do not differ between patients

> treated with sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture, or standard

> therapy.

 

Hi Attilio!

 

This has been observed for quite a while with various studies, that the

most carefully devised treatment is a little better than the sham

treatment, but that both the careful treatment and the sham treatment

have a therapeutic effect.

 

Although the critics have responded that it is all placebo, still the

careful treatment *is* a little better. My take is that even if it is

placebo the patient feels better for having received it.

 

Of course, that could mean that the 200 hour dabblers are almost as good

as we are.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Hi Pete,

 

Actually, the main point of the study was that acupuncture is a good as

regular drug treatment. And that counts for alot.

 

Hopefully, acupuncture will be tested against the next best thing, i.e. a

market leading pain killer. Then we'll see some action!

 

Warm regards,

 

Attilio D'Alberto

Doctor of (Beijing, China)

B.Sc. (Hons) T.C.M. M.A.T.C.M.

Editor

Times

07786 198900

enquiries

<http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/> www.chinesemedicinetimes.com

 

 

Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine On Behalf Of

petetheisen

03 March 2006 18:35

Chinese Medicine

Re: Efficacy of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of migraine:

a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial

 

 

 

Attilio D'Alberto wrote:

<snip>

> Interpretation

>

> Treatment outcomes for migraine do not differ between patients

> treated with sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture, or standard

> therapy.

 

Hi Attilio!

 

This has been observed for quite a while with various studies, that the

most carefully devised treatment is a little better than the sham

treatment, but that both the careful treatment and the sham treatment

have a therapeutic effect.

 

Although the critics have responded that it is all placebo, still the

careful treatment *is* a little better. My take is that even if it is

placebo the patient feels better for having received it.

 

Of course, that could mean that the 200 hour dabblers are almost as good

as we are.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

 

 

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