Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24210070›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)2014

A randomised trial of electro-acupuncture for arthralgia related to aromatase inhibitor use.

Jun J Mao, Sharon X Xie, John T Farrar, Carrie T Stricker, Marjorie A Bowman, Deborah Bruner, Angela DeMichele

Open access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990), 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 68 papers, 18 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
68citing papers in PubMed, 18 pooled it
27.1field-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

68 citing papers in PubMed, 18 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 119 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Invasive or noninvasive? A systematic review and network meta-analysis of acupuncture and acupressure to treat cancer pain.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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  3. The healing power of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: a systematic review on its effects after breast surgery.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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8 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Jun J MaoDepartment of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States; Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States; Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States. Electronic address: jun.mao@uphs.upenn.edu.
Sharon X XieCenter for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States.
John T FarrarCenter for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States; Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States.
Carrie T StrickerAbramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States.
Marjorie A BowmanWright State University School of Medicine, United States.
Deborah BrunerEmory University School of Nursing, United States.
Angela DeMicheleCenter for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States; Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States.
University of Pennsylvania · USEmory University · USWright State University · US

Funding

Elucidating the placebo effects of acupuncture: hot flashes as a clinical modelK23AT004112 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI MAO, JUN J · 2008 to 2012
$659k
Acupuncture and aromatase inhibitor ralated arthralgiaR21AT004695 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI MAO, JUN J · 2009 to 2011
$624k
NCCIH NIH HHS K23 AT004112NCCIH NIH HHS R21 AT004695
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundArthralgia is a common and debilitating side-effect experienced by breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs) and often results in premature drug discontinuation.

methodsWe conducted a randomised controlled trial of electro-acupuncture (EA) as compared to waitlist control (WLC) and sham acupuncture (SA) in postmenopausal women with breast cancer who self-reported arthralgia attributable to AIs. Acupuncturists performed 10 EA/SA treatments over 8 weeks using a manualised protocol with 2 Hz electro-stimulation delivered by a TENS unit. Acupuncturists administered SA using Streitberger (non-penetrating) needles at non-traditional acupuncture points without electro-stimulation. The primary end-point was pain severity by Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) between EA and WLC at Week 8; durability of response at Week 12 and comparison of EA to SA were secondary aims.

findingsOf the 67 randomly assigned patients, mean reduction in pain severity was greater in the EA group than in the WLC group at Week 8 (-2.2 versus -0.2, p=0.0004) and at Week 12 (-2.4 versus -0.2, p<0.0001). Pain-related interference measured by BPI also improved in the EA group compared to the WLC group at both Week 8 (-2.0 versus 0.2, p=0.0006) and Week 12 (-2.1 versus -0.1, p=0.0034). SA produced a magnitude of change in pain severity and pain-related interference at Week 8 (-2.3, -1.5 respectively) and Week 12 (-1.7, -1.3 respectively) similar to that of EA. Participants in both EA and SA groups reported few minor adverse events. INTERPRETATIONS: Compared to usual care, EA produced clinically important and durable improvement in arthralgia related to AIs in breast cancer patients, and SA had a similar effect. Both EA and SA were safe.

Indexed as

Acupuncture PointsAdultAgedAromatase InhibitorsArthralgiaBreast NeoplasmsDouble-Blind MethodElectroacupunctureFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPain MeasurementTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeWaiting ListsAromatase InhibitorsAcupunctureAdverse effectsAromatase inhibitorsBreast neoplasmClinical trialJoint painMusculoskeletal

Identifiers

PMID24210070
PMCPMC3972040
OpenAlexW2001767774

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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.