Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Prospective Clinical Trials

Table 3

Reporting quality of 4 included RCTs based on revised STRICTA.

Checklist item	Hollifield et al. [18]; (2007)	Zhang et al. [25](2010)	Zhang et al. [26](2010)	Zhang et al. [27](2011)
(1) Acupuncture rationale
(1a) Style of; acupuncture	TCM	TCM	TCM	n.r.
(1b) Reasoning for; treatment provided	A paper by Napadow et al., 2005 [42]	A paper by Hollifield et al., 2007 [18]	A paper by Hollifield et al., 2007 [18]	n.r.
(1c) Extent to which; treatment was varied	2 types of AT; (1) AT: 25 fixed needles plus up to 3 flexible needles within 15 points; (2) AAT: ≥6 vaccaria seeds	Fixed interventions; (A) EA only; (B) EA + moxa; (C) EA + AAT	Fixed interventions; EA + moxa	Fixed intervention
(2) Details of needling
(2a) Number of needle; insertions; per subject per session	(1) AT: 25 plus up to 3 needles; (2) AAT: ≥6 vaccaria seeds	(1) EA: 8 needles; (2) AAT: 6 vaccaria seeds	EA: 8 needles	unclear.
(2b) Names of points; used	(1) AT: bilateral at LR3, PC6, HT7, ST36, SP6, GB20, BL14, 15, 18, 20, 21 and 23/unilateral at Yintang; (2) AAT: unilateral at Shenmen, Sympathetic, Liver, Kidney, Lung points	(1) EA: bilateral at GB20/unilateral at GV24, EX-HN1, GV20; (2) AAT: unilateral at Subcortex, Shenmen, Sympathetic, Heart, Liver, Kidney; (3) moxa: bilateral at BL23, BL52/unilateral at GV4	(1) EA: bilateral at GB20/unilateral at GV24, EX-HN1, GV20; (2) moxa: bilateral at BL23, BL52/unilateral at GV4	Unilateral at left PC8
(2c) Depth of insertion	(1) AT: 1/4 to 1/2 inch; (2) AAT: not inserted	(1) EA: 0.5 to 1.2 cun; (2) AAT: not inserted	EA: 0.5 to 1.2 cun	n.r.
(2d) Responses sought	(1) AT: n.r.; (2) AAT: not applicable	(1) EA: de-qi; (2) AAT: not applicable.	EA: de-qi	n.r.
(2e) Needle stimulation	(1) AT: manipulation; (2) AAT: self-massage on the seeds for 15 min/d	(1) EA: electrical stimulation, 100 Hz; (2) AAT: 1-2 min pressure	EA: electrical stimulation,; 5~8.3 Hz	A Japanese stimulator with 50 Hz was used
(2f) Needle retention; time	(1) AT: 25–40 min; (2) AAT: unclear	(A) 30 min; (B) 30 min; (C) 30 min	30 min	Unclear, but the left PC8 was stimulated for 30 min
(2g) Needle type	(1) AT: Viva needles, 34 g; (2) AAT: vaccaria seeds	(1) EA: 0.30 mm × 40 mm; (2) AAT: vaccaria seeds	n.r.	n.r.
(3) Treatment regimen
(3a) Number of; treatment sessions	24 sessions	36 sessions	(1) EA: 18 sessions; (2) moxa: 36 sessions	3~4 sessions*
(3b) Frequency and; duration; of treatment sessions	Twice a week, 1 hour per session, 12 weeks	Three times a week, 12 weeks	(1) EA: three times a week, 6 weeks; (2) moxa: three times a week, 12 weeks	A time every other day for 1 week
(4) Other components; of treatment
(4a) Details of other; interventions; administered; to the acupuncture; group	Patients were taught how to use vaccaria seeds for symptom management	(3) moxa: 30 g and 20 min/session, wooden moxibustion box 20 mm × 15 mm × 12 mm	(2) moxa: 20 min/session	CBT
(4b) Setting and context; of treatment	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.
(5) Practitioner background
(5) Description of; participating; Acupuncturists	Doctor of Oriental Medicine in New Mexico with 4 years postgraduate TCM clinical experience	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.
(6) Control or comparator interventions
(6a) Rationale for the; control; or comparator	(B) A review by Bisson and Andrew, 2005 [43] (C) not applicable	Approval of FDA	n.r.	n.r.
(6b) Precise description; of the control or; comparator	(B) CBT; (C) WLC	(D) Oral SSRI (Paroxetine 20 mg, once/day, 12 weeks)	Oral SSRI (Paroxetine 20 mg, once/day, 12 weeks)	(B) CBT

Abbreviations: RCT: randomized controlled trial; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; n.r: not reported; AT: classical acupuncture; EA: electro-acupuncture; moxa, moxibustion; AAT: auricular acupuncture; CBT: cognitive behavioral therapy; WLC: waitlist control; SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
*treated a time every other day for 1 week.