Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36176555›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neurology2022

Comparative effectiveness of electroacupuncture VS neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of chronic low back pain in active-duty personals: A single-center, randomized control study.

Xiao-Yan Meng, Lan Bu, Jia-Ying Chen, Qiu-Jia Liu, Li Sun, Xiao-Long Li, Fei-Xiang Wu

Erratum issuedOpen access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neurology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 44% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Xiao-Yan MengDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Lan BuDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Jia-Ying ChenDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Qiu-Jia LiuDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Li SunDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Center, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xiao-Long LiDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Fei-Xiang WuDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navel Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Changhai Hospital · CNSecond Military Medical University · CNEastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent form of chronic pain in active-duty military personnel worldwide. Electroacupuncture (EA) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are the two most widely used treatment methods in the military, while evidence for their benefits is lacking. The aim of this randomized clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of EA vs. NMES in reducing pain intensity among active-duty navy personals with chronic LBP. Methods: The study is designed as a single-center, randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome is a positive categorical response for treatment success in the first-time follow-up, which is predesignated as a two-point or greater decrease in the NRS score and combined with a score > 3 on the treatment satisfaction scale. The secondary outcomes include pain intensity, rate of treatment success, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) score along with muscular performance. The first follow-up starts on the first day after completing the last treatment session, and then the 4-weeks and 12-weeks follow-up are applied Results: Eighty-five subjects complete the treatment diagram and are included in the analysis. For the primary outcome, no difference has been found between EA and NMES, with 65.1% (28 in 43) individuals reporting a positive response to EA treatment, while 53.5% (23 in 43) in NMES. However, for longer follow-ups, superiority in positive response of EA has been found in 4-weeks (26 in 39, 66.7% vs. 16 in 40, 40%; Conclusion: Both the EA and NMES are associated with a positive response in treating military LBP, and the former offers lasting benefits in the later follow-ups. Thus, electroacupuncture is a more recommended treatment for military LBP. A lot of research is needed to verify an efficient and standardized treatment session, with more information and evidence about indications for these treatments. Trial registration: ChiCTR, (ChiCTR2100043726); registered February 27, 2021.

Indexed as

chronic low back painelectroacupuncturemilitary serviceneuromuscular electrical stimulationrandomized control study

Identifiers

PMID36176555
PMCPMC9513143
OpenAlexW4295537214

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.