A Randomized Clinical Trial of Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study

Table 2

Effects of acupressure on pain, disability, psychological function, and quality of life.

Outcome measure; (possible range)	Group	Baseline; Mean ± SD	4 weeks; Mean ± SD	4 weeks; % change	𝑃 value^‡	1-month followup; Mean ± SD	1 month % change
Pain intensity
Worst pain	True	5.40±0.97	1.60±1.71	−70	0.00	1.40±1.43	−74
(0–10)	Sham	5.88±1.89	4.38±1.06	−26		4.14±1.86	−29
Average pain	True	3.40±0.70	1.15±1.56	−66	0.39	0.80±0.92	−76
(0–10)	Sham	5.13±1.36	2.88±1.13	−44		4.00±1.29	−22
Overall pain intensity	True	3.48±0.74	0.86±0.79	−75	0.02	0.68±0.79	−81
(0–10)	Sham	4.36±1.28	3.09±1.18	−29		3.61±1.15	−17
Back-specific disability
RMDQ	True	3.30±2.54	1.67±1.32	−49	0.82	1.90±1.66	−42
(0–24)	Sham	7.75±6.23	7.00±6.74	−10		6.13±5.28	−21
ODI	True	0.33±0.04	0.23±0.07	−31	1.00	0.24±0.05	−28
(0-1)	Sham	0.50±0.19	0.40±0.14	−20		0.43±0.16	−13
Psychological factors
PCS	True	9.50±5.72	1.33±2.06	−86	0.25	2.90±4.79	−69
(0–52)	Sham	17.63±9.50	6.38±6.84	−64		5.86±7.03	−67
Fear avoidance beliefs
Physical activity	True	11.25±4.92	6.56±7.38	−24	0.37	7.90±6.38	−30
(0–24)	Sham	13.00±7.16	10.14±7.69	−22		8.43±7.23	−35
Work	True	11.75±9.35	5.44±7.26	−54	0.85	6.60±9.06	−44
(0–42)	Sham	18.86±14.28	9.00±8.15	−52		12.86±13.06	−32
Health related quality of life
Physical	True	12.63±1.06	12.74±1.75	1	0.24	12.74±1.32	1
(0–100)	Sham	12.64±1.77	13.43±1.43	6		13.57±1.49	7
Psychological	True	14.67±1.78	14.13±1.85	−4	0.74	14.40±1.92	−2
(0–100)	Sham	14.58±1.80	14.50±1.77	−1		14.75±2.32	1
Social	True	15.87±2.91	15.07±3.61	−5	0.59	15.80±2.95	0
(0–100)	Sham	16.00±2.76	16.50±3.56	3		16.83±3.70	5
Environment	True	16.30±2.84	15.60±3.01	−4	0.33	15.75±3.01	−3
(0–100)	Sham	16.25±2.48	16.06±1.52	−1		16.69±2.49	3

% change = (mean at 4 weeks − mean at baseline)/mean at baseline.
RMDQ: Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire.
ODI: Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index.
PCS: The pain and catastrophizing scale.
^‡P value is calculated by the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for the null hypothesis: 𝑀_𝑡=𝑀_𝑠.