Juan Carlos Rueda Garrido1, Jorge Vas2, D Rafael Lopez3. 1. SABIC, Ctra Cartagena-Alhama de Murcia km 13, 30390 La Aljorra, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: jcruedagar@yahoo.es. 2. Unidad de Tratamiento del Dolor, Unidad de Gestión Clínica "Doña Mercedes", Segovia s/n, 41701 Dos Hermanas, Sevilla, Spain. 3. SABIC, Ctra Cartagena-Alhama de Murcia km 13, 30390 La Aljorra, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain; Unidad de Tratamiento del Dolor, Unidad de Gestión Clínica "Doña Mercedes", Segovia s/n, 41701 Dos Hermanas, Sevilla, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain or omalgia is one of the main types of osteoarticular pain that can be observed in every-day clinical practice, frequently causing significant functional impairment. The most common cause of shoulder pain is impingement syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To decrease the intensity of short- and mid-term pain in the injured shoulder by means of acupuncture. METHOD: Randomized controlled trial with two groups of participants: one group received true acupuncture (TA) and the other received acupuncture at sham points (SA). The treatment was carried out over 4 weeks, with the participants receiving a session every week. The results were measured immediately after the treatment (T1) and 3 months later (T2). To evaluate the results, we used the 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and to assess the functionality of the shoulder we employed the UCLA questionnaire (0-35 points). RESULTS:A total of 68 participants were included in the analysis (TA, n=35; SA, n=33), with a mean age of 33.4 years (SD 12.53). We found significant differences in the analyzed results between the two groups, as we observed a decrease on the intensity of pain for the TA group of 44.13 mm at T1 (CI 95% 36.7; 51.5) and 87.58 mm at T2 (CI 95% 28.32; 46.81), while the decrease in the FA group was of 19.84 mm at T1 (CI 95% 12.2; 27.4) and 20 mm at T2 (CI 95% 10.9; 29.09). When the UCLA scores were analyzed, the results were clinically meaningful in support of TA in terms of functional assessment of the shoulder. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The use of acupuncture to treat impingement syndrome seems to be a safe and reliable technique to achieve clinically significant results and could be implemented in the therapy options offered by the health services.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain or omalgia is one of the main types of osteoarticular pain that can be observed in every-day clinical practice, frequently causing significant functional impairment. The most common cause of shoulder pain is impingement syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To decrease the intensity of short- and mid-term pain in the injured shoulder by means of acupuncture. METHOD: Randomized controlled trial with two groups of participants: one group received true acupuncture (TA) and the other received acupuncture at sham points (SA). The treatment was carried out over 4 weeks, with the participants receiving a session every week. The results were measured immediately after the treatment (T1) and 3 months later (T2). To evaluate the results, we used the 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and to assess the functionality of the shoulder we employed the UCLA questionnaire (0-35 points). RESULTS: A total of 68 participants were included in the analysis (TA, n=35; SA, n=33), with a mean age of 33.4 years (SD 12.53). We found significant differences in the analyzed results between the two groups, as we observed a decrease on the intensity of pain for the TA group of 44.13 mm at T1 (CI 95% 36.7; 51.5) and 87.58 mm at T2 (CI 95% 28.32; 46.81), while the decrease in the FA group was of 19.84 mm at T1 (CI 95% 12.2; 27.4) and 20 mm at T2 (CI 95% 10.9; 29.09). When the UCLA scores were analyzed, the results were clinically meaningful in support of TA in terms of functional assessment of the shoulder. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The use of acupuncture to treat impingement syndrome seems to be a safe and reliable technique to achieve clinically significant results and could be implemented in the therapy options offered by the health services.
Authors: Qiukui Hao; Tahira Devji; Dena Zeraatkar; Yuting Wang; Anila Qasim; Reed A C Siemieniuk; Per Olav Vandvik; Tuomas Lähdeoja; Alonso Carrasco-Labra; Thomas Agoritsas; Gordon Guyatt Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2019-02-20 Impact factor: 2.692