Adverse Event Reporting in Acupuncture Clinical Trials Focusing on Pain

Abstract

On the basis of our findings, acupuncture clinical trials for pain reduction have yet to comprehensively meet CONSORT's guidelines for adverse event reporting. Acupuncture is commonly used by patients experiencing pain and although typically viewed as a benign and minimally invasive therapy, serious adverse events have been reported in the literature. To effectively and comprehensively document and understand these events, routine reporting according to CONSORT's harms guidelines should become the norm. Both science and patients are served by accurately evaluating the safety of acupuncture for patient populations experiencing pain.

Acupuntura na fibromialgia: um estudo randomizado‐controlado abordando a resposta imediata da dor

“…A estimulação desses pontos com agulha pode promover o controle da dor. 16 Os efeitos da acupuntura sobre atividade cerebral têm sido demonstrados por meio de exames de imagens, os quais evidenciaram que, após o agulhamento por acupuntura, há intensificação do fluxo cerebral. 6,7 Desse modo, muitos pacientes portadores de dor crônica recorrem ao tratamento por essa técnica.…”

Komplementäre und alternative Verfahren beim Fibromyalgiesyndrom

“…Analysiert wurden 9 RCT mit 420 Patienten und einer durchschnittlichen Behandlungsdauer von 11 (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) Wochen. In 7 Studien wurden nach durchschnittlich 20 (6-78) Wochen Nachuntersuchungen durchgeführt (Evidenzbericht, .…”

“…Die mittlere Nachuntersuchungszeit von 3 Studien lag bei 17 (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) Wochen (Evidenzbericht, . Tab.…”

“…Tab. 95; [2,18,29,30,34,41,43,49,53] [16]. Akupunktur ist als Kassenleistung bei komorbiden Rückenschmerzen verfügbar.…”

Inferior hypogastric plexus blockade versus acupuncture for the management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain: A randomized clinical trial

“…Needling was performed at a depth of 1.5-2.5 inch at each selected point, followed by the full-body points, until a deqi sensation was obtained. [12] Deqi is defined as a feeling of soreness, numbness, distension, or heaviness around the point after the needle was inserted; meanwhile, the practitioner may feel tension around the needle. [13] The needle remained in situ for 25-30 min; during this time, the needle was stimulated with electrical stimulation using low-intensity pulsed currents administered at high frequencies [between 10 and 200 pulses per second (pps)] at the site of pain, and at high intensity and low frequency (lower than 10 pps, usually 2 pps) in the trigger points.…”