ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2020
Acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis with sensitized acupoints: results from a pilot, feasibility randomized controlled trial.
Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03008668 (Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis With Sensitized Acupoints), which is not on this map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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 Knee Osteoarthritis With Sensitized Acupoints: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Skin Temperature of Acupoints in Health and Disease: A Systematic Review.Journal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Acupotomy Combined with Topical Diclofenac for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of pain research · 2025Trial
- IDEAL-Acu: A Methodological Framework for Evaluating the Effects of Acupuncture.Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- Sessions of acupuncture and nutritional therapy evaluation for atrial fibrillation (Santé-AF): a randomised feasibility study.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- AI-Assisted Knee Infrared Imaging Based Acupuncture for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Study Protocol.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- Acupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review of Clinical Efficacy and Neuroimmune-Endocrine Mechanisms.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
- Efficacy of electro-acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes for women undergoingFrontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Effective Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Using a Nano-Enabled Drug Acupuncture Technology in Mice.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2023Article
- Knowledge mapping of acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity: a bibliometric analysis.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Article
- Article
- Effects of acupuncture at acupoints with lower versus higher pain threshold for knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.Chinese medicine · 2022Article
- Physical therapy as a promising treatment for osteoarthritis: A narrative review.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough previous clinical studies suggest possible benefits of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), the value of acupuncture at sensitized points is uncertain. We aimed to preliminarily assess the feasibility of performing a definitive randomized controlled trial to explore the effectiveness of acupuncture for KOA with highly sensitized acupoints.
methodsIn this randomized, single-blind, parallel, pilot trial, 36 participants with KOA were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture at highly sensitized acupoints (high-sensitization group) or at low/non-sensitized points (low/non-sensitization group) by a computer-generated random sequence. Both groups received three treatment sessions per week for four consecutive weeks (12 sessions in total). Assessments were performed at screening and at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after randomization. Primary feasibility outcomes were patient recruitment, retention rate, and adherence to group treatment. Secondary outcomes included the change of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total score from baseline to 16 weeks, the change of Short Form (SF)-12 health survey score, and safety outcomes.
resultsPatient recruitment of 36 patients took 2 months, achieving the recruitment target. Retention rates were similar between the treatment groups, 14 (77.8%) patients in the high-sensitization group completed the 16-week follow-up and compared to 14 (77.8%) patients in low/non-sensitization group, but the result was lower than expected. All patients received at least ten treatment sessions in total. The WOMAC total score and the pain, stiffness, and physical function score in the high-sensitization group were lower or very close to those in the control group at each assessment point. Similar results were observed on quality of life. No adverse events occurred.
conclusionThis trial has presented preliminary data on the feasibility of conducting a large trial to test the effectiveness of acupuncture at sensitized points in KOA patients.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03008668. Registered on 26 December 2016-retrospectively registered.
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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.