Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain (Review)

Sakai 2001
(Continued)
Interventions
Outcomes
Notes
1) Needling points were chosen by palpation from the part of quadratus lumborum (around BL52) and/or erector
spinae (around BL23 and BL26) in the lumbar area. Two points were used bilaterally - in total four points - for each
treatment. Patients were treated twice a week for two weeks.
Two types of disposable stainless steel needles were used according to patient’s stature and fat: 0.20 mm in diameter
and 50 mm in length, and 0.24 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length. Needles were inserted into the muscles.
Electro-stimulation at frequency of 1 Hz was applied for 15 minutes. The intensity was adjusted to make muscle
contraction without pain.
Randomized to this group: 32. Drop-outs during treatment: 1. Lost to follow-up: 0
Experience: unknown
2) TENS: Same points as above. Two points were used bilaterally - in total four points - for each treatment. Patients
were treated twice a week for two weeks, i.e. four sessions in total.
Gel type disposable electrodes of 20 x 30 mm in size were used. Stimulation with the frequency of 1 Hz was applied
for 15 minutes
Randomized to this group: 36. Drop-outs during treatment: 2. Lost to follow-up: 1
1) JOA (Japan Orthopaedic Association) Score rated by the physician. Subjective symptoms of back pain and
restriction of daily activities. Maximum 20 points. Higher values are better.
2) Pain relief (VAS) on average on the pervious day, rated by the patient. Higher values are better
These outcomes were taken after the end of the 4 sessions.
Costs: not reported
Complications: no adverse event was reported in the electroacupuncture group. In the TENS group: 1 itching and
1 dullness after session
Duration of low-back pain mixed.
Language: English and Japanese
Publication: full paper
We obtained additional information from the authors.
For results, see the comparisons:
10.1
10.3
10.4
10.5
Conclusions: “There was no significant difference between groups in any parameter”
Takeda 2001
Methods
Participants
-Randomized (using draws). Stratified by pain duration and gender. Using sealed and numbered envelopes, but the
person doing the randomisation was not independent.
-Patients blinded.
-Funding: no funding was received.
-Setting: Acupuncture College in Osaka, Japan.
-Informed consent was obtained from participants and there was no description of ethics approval.
-Follow-up: 18 of 20 patients randomised (90%)
-Analysis: Mann-Whitney U test for between group differences. No intention-to-treat analysis
20 students of acupuncture college who were suffering from lumbago
Excluded: sciatica
Duration of pain: Mean 40.4 months in distal group and 81.0 months in local group
Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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