ArticlePloS one2024
Electroacupuncture versus exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Acupuncture Prescription Based on Thermal-Sensitized Acupoints for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Application value of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in improving knee joint function after knee arthroplasty in elderly patients.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Pain Modulation, Inflammation-Regulatory Mechanisms, and Translational Boundaries of Evidence for Acupuncture-Related Therapies in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Structured Narrative Review.Journal of pain research · 2026Review
- Exploring the Analgesic Effect of Acupuncture on Knee Osteoarthritis Based on MLT/cAMP/PKA/CREB Signaling Pathway.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Article
- Electroacupuncture alleviates sciatic nerve injury in sciatica rats by regulating BDNF and NGF levels, myelin sheath degradation, and autophagy.Open life sciences · 2025Article
- Advances in Electroacupuncture for Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Future Directions.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeKnee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common disorder among middle and older individuals. Electroacupuncture and exercise are present as two popular physical therapies for the management of KOA, and both were demonstrated to produce considerable results. However, the clinical decision-making process between these therapeutic interventions remains challenging due to the limited evidence of distinctions in their respective effects. This study aims to evaluate the clinical effect and cost effectiveness of electroacupuncture versus exercise in patients with KOA. STUDY DESIGN AND
methodsThis is a randomized controlled trial in which 196 symptomatic KOA patients will be randomly assigned 1:1 either to the electroacupuncture group (n = 98) and the exercise group (n = 98). Patients in the electroacupuncture group will receive acupuncture with electric stimulation 3 times a week for 8 weeks, whereas patients in the exercise group will receive neuromuscular training twice a week for 8 weeks. Education concerning KOA management will be provided in both therapies. Co-primary outcomes include changes in numerical rating scale (NRS) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Activities of Daily Living (ADL) subscale from baseline at week 8. Secondary outcomes include KOOS Pain subscale, KOOS knee-related Quality of Life (QOL) subscale, Short Form 6 Dimensions (SF-6D), five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), Credibility/ Expectancy Questionnaire, Patient's global assessment (PGA), 30-second Chair Stand Test (30s-CST), 40m (4*10m) Fast Paced Walk Test (40m FPWT), and Daily Physical Activity level (DPA). DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide evidence regarding differences between these 2 physical therapies in multiple aspects and will provide specific guidance for the development of treatments based on the needs of individual patients.
trial registrationChiCTR2300070376.
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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.