Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23840261›Full record

ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2013

Placebo acupuncture devices: considerations for acupuncture research.

Dan Zhu, Ying Gao, Jingling Chang, Jian Kong

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
17.2field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 90 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. Effect of acupuncture for temporomandibular disorders: a randomized clinical trial.QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians · 2024
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  7. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of acupuncture for angina in an underserved diverse population.Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society · 2022
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Dan ZhuDepartment of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 5 Haiyuncang, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100700, China ; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
Ying Gao
Jingling Chang
Jian Kong
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine · CNHarvard University · US

Funding

The Role of Context Effect in Acupuncture Treatment of Low Back/J.KongP01AT006663 · NCCIH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI HIRSCHTICK, RANDY L, ROSEN, BRUCE R · 2011 to 2017
$10.0M
The Neurobiology of Placebo and Nocebo Effects: A Brain Imaging StudyR01AT006364 · NCCIH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI KONG, JIAN · 2011 to 2015
$3.6M
An acupuncture fMRI study on chronic pain: response reliability and dose effectR21AT004497 · NCCIH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI KONG, JIAN · 2009 to 2010
$741k
NCCIH NIH HHS P01 AT006663NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT006364NCCIH NIH HHS R21 AT004497
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Determining an appropriate control for use in acupuncture research remains one of the largest methodological challenges acupuncture researchers face. In general, acupuncture controls fall under one of two categories: (1) sham acupuncture, in which the skin is punctured with real acupuncture needles either fully at nonacupoint locations or shallowly at acupoint locations or both and (2) placebo acupuncture, which utilizes nonpenetrating acupuncture devices. In this study, we will focus on non-penetrating placebo acupuncture devices (blunted-needle and nonneedle devices) that are currently available in acupuncture research. We will describe each device and discuss each device's validation and application in previous studies. In addition, we will outline the advantages and disadvantages of these devices and highlight how the differences among placebo devices can be used to isolate distinct components of acupuncture treatment and investigate their effects. We would like to emphasize that there is no single placebo device that can serve as the best control for all acupuncture studies; the choice of an acupuncture control should be determined by the specific aim of the study.

Identifiers

PMID23840261
PMCPMC3690239
OpenAlexW2161014049

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.