Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28673350›Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary and alternative medicine2017

Psychophysical responses in patients receiving a mock laser within context of an acupuncture clinical trial: an interoceptive perspective.

Shohreh Razavy, Marcus Gadau, Shi Ping Zhang, Fu Chun Wang, Sergio Bangrazi, Christine Berle, Mahrita Harahap, Tie Li, Wei Hong Li, Christopher Zaslawski

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Therapeutic Sensations: A New Unifying Concept.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2020
    Review
  3. Article
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

10 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Shohreh RazavySchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Marcus GadauSchool of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
Shi Ping ZhangSchool of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR, China. spzhang@hkbu.edu.hk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6336-0626
Fu Chun WangChangchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, 130117, China.
Sergio BangraziIstituto Paracelso, 00153, Rome, Italy.
Christine BerleSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Mahrita HarahapSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Tie LiChangchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, 130117, China.
Wei Hong LiSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Christopher ZaslawskiSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
University of Technology Sydney · AUChangchun University of Chinese Medicine · CNHong Kong Baptist University · HKIstituto di Sessuologia Clinica · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe psychophysical responses induced by verum acupuncture are characterized by a constellation of unique subjective sensory responses commonly termed De Qi. Furthermore, a variety of sham interventions have been used as a control for acupuncture clinical trials. Indeed, one such control has been mock laser which has been used as control intervention in several acupuncture clinical controlled trials. The current study aim was to examine the De Qi sensory responses and its related characteristics elicited from acupuncture and compare them to those reported following sham laser in participants enrolled in a clinical trial.

methodsThe study was embedded in a multi-center, two-arm randomised clinical trial, which evaluated the effect of acupuncture on lateral elbow pain. De Qi was assessed using the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS). Ninety-six participants were randomly allocated to receive either acupuncture (n = 47) or mock laser (n = 49) at the acupoints LI 10 and LI 11.

resultsParticipants in both intervention groups reported similar De Qi psychophysical characteristics; however, both intensity and frequency of the individually perceived De Qi characteristics were significantly higher in the acupuncture group. 'Soreness', 'deep pressure', and 'fullness-distension' in the acupuncture group and 'tingling', and 'sharp pain' in mock laser group, were identified as the leading characteristics. Similar level of MASS De Qi Index (MDI) scores were reported for 'Hong Kong-China' and 'Australia-Italy' with a significantly higher level of De Qi reported by 'Hong Kong-China'. Furthermore, two distinct De Qi categories were identified, namely De Qi (in line with classical sensory responses of Suan, Ma, Zhang, and Zhong) and pain.

conclusionsSubjective 'somatic or interoceptive awareness' should be taken into account when De Qi psychophysical responses are examined. The study accentuates the necessity and the significance of further research into interoception phenomenon which may contribute to a better understanding of the placebo effect and De Qi psychophysical responses.

trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry reference: ACTRN12613001138774 on 11th of October 2013.

Indexed as

Acupuncture PointsAcupuncture TherapyAdultAustraliaAwarenessFemaleHumansLasersMalePainPain MeasurementPatientsQiSensationYoung AdultAcupunctureDe QiInteroceptiveMock laserPsychophysical responses

Identifiers

PMID28673350
PMCPMC5496139
OpenAlexW2725337884

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.