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

Analysis 4.1.
Comparison 4 acupuncture versus no treatment. (Chronic LBP: > 3 months), Outcome 1 pain
(instruments: VAS and number of words).
Review:
Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain
Comparison:
4 acupuncture versus no treatment. (Chronic LBP: > 3 months)
Outcome:
1 pain (instruments: VAS and number of words)
Study or subgroup Acupuncture No treatment Std. Mean Difference Weight Std. Mean Difference
N Mean(SD) N Mean(SD) IV,Random,95% CI IV,Random,95% CI
1 Short-term follow-up (up to 3 months after the end of the sessions)
Coan 1980 25 2.84 (2) 25 4.69 (2) 60.5 % -0.91 [ -1.50, -0.33 ]
Thomas 1994 30 4 (5) 10 6.1 (1.75) 39.5 % -0.46 [ -1.19, 0.26 ]
Subtotal (95% CI) 55 35 100.0 % -0.73 [ -1.19, -0.28 ]
Heterogeneity: Tau 2 = 0.0; Chi 2 = 0.89, df = 1 (P = 0.35); I 2 =0.0%
Test for overall effect: Z = 3.16 (P = 0.0016)
2 Intermediate-term follow-up (3 months to 1 year)
Thomas 1994 30 4 (3) 10 6.2 (1.8) 100.0 % -0.78 [ -1.52, -0.04 ]
Subtotal (95% CI) 30 10 100.0 % -0.78 [ -1.52, -0.04 ]
Heterogeneity: not applicable
Test for overall effect: Z = 2.07 (P = 0.038)
-2 -1 0 1 2
favours acupuncture
favours no treatment
Analysis 4.2. Comparison 4 acupuncture versus no treatment. (Chronic LBP: > 3 months), Outcome 2
global measure (improvement).
Review:
Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain
Comparison:
4 acupuncture versus no treatment. (Chronic LBP: > 3 months)
Outcome:
2 global measure (improvement)
Study or subgroup Acupuncture No treatment Odds Ratio Odds Ratio
n/N n/N M-H,Random,95% CI M-H,Random,95% CI
1 Short-term follow-up (up to 3 months after the end of the sessions)
Coan 1980 19/25 5/25 12.67 [ 3.31, 48.50 ]
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
favours no treatment
favours acupuncture
Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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