Introduction
Methods
Data Sources
Eligibility Criteria
Data Extraction
Outcomes
Assessment of Risk of Bias
Statistical Analysis
Results
Characteristics of Included Studies
Study ID | Location Center | Age mean (SD), y Female (%) | Intervention | Control | Duration of observation | Measurement time points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Treatment | Sessions, n | Time/session | Duration, weeks | N | Type | N | |||||
T1 Witt 2005 [41] | Germany Multicenter | 64 (6.5) 68.8% | MA | 12 | At least 30 min | 8 | 149 | SA: minimal acupuncture, superficial needling at non-acupuncture points | 75 | 52 weeks | 8, 26, 52 (weeks) |
T2 Scharf 2006 [42] | Germany Multicenter | 62.8 (8.8) 68.8% | MA | 10 (+ 5)* | 20–30 min | 6 | 326 | SA: needles inserted superficially away from acupuncture points | 365 | 26 weeks | 13, 26 (weeks) |
Conservative therapy: 10 physician visits with consultation and prescription for diclofenac | 316 | ||||||||||
T3 Foster 2007 [44] | the United Kingdom Multicenter | 63.2 (8.8) 58.2% | Advice, exercise (6 wk) + MA | 6 | 25–35 min | 3 | 117 | Advice, exercise (6 wk) + SA (non-penetrating) | 119 | 12 months | 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months |
Advice and exercise | 116 | ||||||||||
T4 Chen 2013 [43] | the United States Multicenter | 60.5 (11.4) 51.6% | MA | 12 | 20 min | 12 | 104 | SA: non-penetrating | 109 | 26 weeks | 12 weeks, 26 weeks |
T5 Hinman 2014 [46] | Australia Single center | 63.5 (8.7) 51.1% | MA | 8–12 | 20 min | 12 | 70 | Control: no treatment | 71 | 1 year | 12 weeks, 1 year |
T6 Lin 2018 [38] | China Multicenter | 59.8 (7.3) 88.1% | MA | 24 | 20 min | 8 | 21 | SA: needles were inserted vertically about 3–5 mm into non-acupoints without manipulation | 21 | 26 weeks | 8, 16, 26 (weeks) |
T7 Tu 2021 [23] | China Multicenter | 62.8 (7.1) 76% | EA | 24 | 30 min | 8 | 151 | SA: 8 non-acupoints were superficially penetrated (2–3 mm) without needle manipulation for de qi | 146 | 26 weeks | 4, 8, 16, 26 (weeks) |
MA | 24 | 30 min | 8 | 145 | |||||||
T8 Liu 2022 [39] | China Multicenter | 60.7 (8.8) 80.3% | MA at acupoints with lower pain threshold | 12 | 30 min | 4 | 221 | Waiting-list group: non-acupuncture treatments were allowed upon requested | 221 | 16 weeks | 4, 8, 12, 16 (weeks) |
MA at acupoints with higher pain threshold | 12 | 30 min | 4 | 219 | |||||||
T9 Sánchez Romero 2020 [45] | Spain Multicenter | 72.3 (5.7) 29% | DN + exercise | 6 | NR | 6 | 31 | SA (non-penetrating) + exercise | 31 | 12 months | 3, 6, 9, 12 months |
T10 Ma 2023 [40] | China Single center | 75 (6.1) 67.5% | DN | ≤ 6 | NR | 6 | 42 | Diclofenac sodium | 35 | 6 weeks and 6 months | 6 weeks after treatment, 6 months after treatment |