Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26170869›Full record

ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2015

The Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain.

Wei-Chun Lin, Chao Hsing Yeh, Lung-Chang Chien, Natalia E Morone, Ronald M Glick, Kathryn M Albers

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
7.1field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

30 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 60 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Wei-Chun LinSchool of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Chao Hsing YehSchool of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Lung-Chang ChienDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Texas, School of Public Health at San Antonio Regional Campus, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Regional Campus, Research to Advance Community Health Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA.
Natalia E MoroneDivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh and Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Ronald M GlickDepartments of Psychiatry, Physical Medicine, and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Kathryn M AlbersDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
University of Pittsburgh · USThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · USVA Pittsburgh Healthcare System · US

Funding

University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science InstituteUL1TR000005 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI REIS, STEVEN E · 2012 to 2015
$50.8M
University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science InstitutionKL2TR000146 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI REIS, STEVEN E · 2012 to 2015
$8.7M
NEUROTROPHINS MODULATE SENSORY DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONR01NS033730 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI ALBERS, KATHRYN MARIE · 1995 to 2014
$4.1M
NCATS NIH HHS KL2 TR000146NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR000005NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS033730
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background. Auricular point acupressure (APA) is a promising treatment for pain management. Few studies have investigated the physiological mechanisms of APA analgesics. Method. In this pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT), a 4-week APA treatment was used to manage chronic low back pain (CLBP). Sixty-one participants were randomized into a real APA group (n = 32) or a sham APA group (n = 29). Blood samples, pain intensity, and physical function were collected at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results. Subjects in the real APA group reported a 56% reduction of pain intensity and a 26% improvement in physical function. Serum blood samples showed (1) a decrease in IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and calcitonin gene-related peptide [CGRP] and (2) an increase in IL-4. In contrast, subjects in the sham APA group (1) reported a 9% reduction in pain and a 2% improvement in physical function and (2) exhibited minimal changes of inflammatory cytokines and neuropeptides. Statistically significant differences in IL-4 and CGRP expression between the real and sham APA groups were verified. Conclusion. These findings suggest that APA treatment affects pain intensity through modulation of the immune system, as reflected by APA-induced changes in serum inflammatory cytokine and neuropeptide levels.

Identifiers

PMID26170869
PMCPMC4480805
OpenAlexW1482694642

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.