Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30349698›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of pain2018

The impact of meridian balance method electro-acupuncture treatment on chronic pelvic pain in women: a three-armed randomised controlled feasibility study using a mixed-methods approach.

Ooi Thye Chong, Hilary Od Critchley, Linda J Williams, Erna Haraldsdottir, Andrew W Horne, Marie Fallon

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of pain, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05429957 (Effects of Muscle Energy Technique Versus Aerobic Exercises on Pain and Disability in Patients With Chronic Pelvic Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 22% 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.

NCT05429957 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Muscle Energy Technique Versus Aerobic Exercises on Pain and Disability in Patients With Chronic Pelvic Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2022 to 2022Enrolled40ConditionsPelvic Pain, Chronic PainArmsMuscle Energy Technique, Aerobic Exercises
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. 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

6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Ooi Thye ChongMRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Hilary Od CritchleyMRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Linda J WilliamsCentre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Erna HaraldsdottirSt Columba's Hospice/ Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK.
Andrew W HorneMRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Marie FallonEdinburgh Cancer Research Centre (IGMM), University of Edinburgh, UK.
MRC Centre for Reproductive Health · GBUniversity of Edinburgh · GBEdinburgh Cancer Research · GBQueen Margaret University · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionChronic pelvic pain (CPP) is estimated to affect 6%-27% of women worldwide. In the United Kingdom, over 1 million women suffer from CPP and it has been highlighted as a key area of unmet need. Standard treatments are associated with unacceptable side effects. The meridian balance method electro-acupuncture (BMEA), and traditional Chinese medicine health consultation (TCM HC) (BMEA + TCM HC = BMEA treatment) may be an effective adjunct to standard treatment.

aimThe aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of a future trial, to determine the effectiveness of the BMEA treatment for CPP in women. The primary objectives were to determine recruitment and retention rates. The secondary objectives were to assess the effectiveness of the BMEA treatment and acceptability of the study's methodology.

methodsWomen with CPP were randomised into BMEA treatment (group 1), TCM HC alone (group 2) (each intervention administered twice weekly for 4 weeks) or National Health Service standard care (NHS SC, group 3). Primary outcomes were assessed by the proportion of eligible participants randomised, and the proportion of randomised participants who returned follow-up questionnaires. Interventions were assessed by validated pain/physical/emotional functioning questionnaires at baseline (0), 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Focus groups and semi-structured telephone interviews were embedded in the study.

resultsA total of 30 women (51% of those referred) were randomised over 8 months. Retention rates were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI): 74-96), 53% (95% CI: 36-70) and 87% (95% CI: 63-90), in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Qualitative data suggested a favourable trial experience in groups 1 and 3. DISCUSSION: Group 2 retention rate was problematic and has implications for our next trial.

conclusionOur study suggests that a future trial to determine the effectiveness of BMEA treatment for women with CPP is feasible but with modifications to the study design.

Indexed as

Chronic pelvic painelectro-acupuncturemeridian balance method acupuncturemixed methods designrandomised controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID30349698
PMCPMC6194971
OpenAlexW2804399005

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.