ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2018
Double-blind acupuncture needles: a multi-needle, multi-session randomized feasibility study.
Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02704234 (Acupuncture for Vulvodynia), which is not on this map. Cited by 12 papers.
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.
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.
Acupuncture for Vulvodynia: A Double-blinded Feasibility Pre-pilot Study
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Long-lasting effect of penetrating acupuncture among responders: Double-blind RCT of acupuncture for vulvodynia.The journal of pain · 2026Trial
- Women's Experience of Living with Vulvodynia Pain: Why They Participated in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Acupuncture.Journal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2023Trial
- Designing an Attention Control Condition for a Randomized Controlled Trial Using TED Talks.Western journal of nursing research · 2025Article
- Research Methodology in Acupuncture for Managing Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Scoping Review.Neurourology and urodynamics · 2025Article
- Validation of the tablet-based Turkish-PAINReportIt® for lung cancer patients after thoracotomy in Turkey.Applied nursing research : ANR · 2023Article
- Evaluation and Treatment of Vulvodynia: State of the Science.Journal of midwifery & women's health · 2023Review
- Protocol for double-blind RCT of acupuncture for vulvodynia.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2022Article
- Image-based documentation of vulvodynia pain location.Pain management · 2022Article
- How to design high quality acupuncture trials-a consensus informed by evidence.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2022Article
- Evaluating the Quality of Reports About Randomized Controlled Trials of Acupuncture for Low Back Pain.Journal of pain research · 2021Review
- Acupuncture to Improve Symptoms for Stable Angina: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2019Article
- A scoping review of vulvodynia research: Diagnosis, treatment, and care experiences.Women's health (London, England)Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEfficacy of acupuncture is difficult to demonstrate without a feasible double-blind milieu. Double-blind acupuncture needles have been validated in single session protocols with one or two needles but not been tested in a protocol requiring many needles and repeated sessions.
methodsWe determined the feasibility of a 13-needle, 10-session study protocol. Feasibility focused on (1) enrolling and retaining participants; (2) two acupuncturists accurately implementing a double-blind, multi-needle, multi-session protocol; (3) participants completing measures; and (4) protocol acceptability to participants. In this double-blind randomized controlled pilot study, participants were randomized 1:1 to a penetrating needle group or a skin-touch placebo control group.
resultsSix women with vulvodynia (mean age 31.5 ± 8 years; five white, non-Latina, one black/African American) met the eligibility requirements, consented to participation, and were enrolled. All six participants (100%) completed the 10-session study protocol in 5 weeks without missing any treatment sessions. Per observed checklist documented technique, two acupuncturists flawlessly administered the 13-needle, 10-session acupuncture protocol; no needles malfunctioned. Six participants attended all sessions and completed 99% of measurement items. One participant did not like acupuncture (60% acceptability score) and five liked acupuncture (100% acceptability scores); the mean acceptability score was 93.3%.
conclusionStudy feasibility was supported. This protocol can be used in a double-blind efficacy trial of acupuncture for vulvodynia.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02704234. Registered 30 November 2015.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.