Effects of Electroacupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Summary of information related to electroacupuncture treatments.

First author (year)	Acupuncture rationale	Details of needling					Practitioner background
		Acupuncture points	ES frequency, Duration	De-qi	Depth of insertion	Needle type (diameter/length)
Li [75]; (2015)	TCM	EX-LE5, SP10, ST36, ST34, GB34, SP9, Ashi point; EA points: 4 points among above acupoints (n.r.)	20 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	n.r./50.0 mm	n.r.
Wu [76]; (2015)	TCM	EX-LE5; EA points: all acupoints	40 Hz, 45~60 min	n.r.	33.3 mm	n.r./50.0 mm	n.r.
Ying [39]; (2015)	TCM	ST35, EX-LE4, EX-LE2, SP10, ST36, GB34, SP9, BL40; EA points: all acupoints	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	25.4~38.1 mm	0.30 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Huang [40]; (2014)	TCM	Ashi point, ST35, EX-LE4, SP10, EX-LE2, SP6, SP9, ST36, LR3; EA points: 4 points among above acupoints (n.r.)	15 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	15~20 mm	0.35 mm/25 mm	n.r.
Li [41]; (2014)	TCM	ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, SP9, GB33, ST34, SP10, Ashi point; EA points: ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, SP9, GB33, Ashi point	2 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	25~40 mm	0.35 mm/40 or 50 mm	n.r.
Plaster [26]; (2014)	TCM according to previous study [31]	LI4, LR3, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, SP10; EA points: all acupoints	3 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 30 min	n.r.	5 mm	0.25 mm/30 mm	n.r.
Ruan [77]; (2014)	TCM	EX-LE4, SP9, LR8, SP10, ST35, ST36, GB33, ST34, EX-LE2, ST32, Ashi point; EA points: SP9, SP10, ST36, ST34, EX-LE2, ST32	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	33.3~5.0 mm	0.30 mm/50 mm	n.r.
Ruan [42]; (2014)	TCM	ST34, SP10, GB34, ST36, SP9, GB39, Ashi point; EA points: all acupoints	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	n.r./50.0 mm	n.r.
Fu [43]; (2013)	TCM	EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40, EX-LE2; Individualized acupoints: BL23, CV3, SP10, BL57, BL23, BL25, ST36, SP6, BL23, KI3, SP8, ST40; EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.35 mm/50~60 mm	n.r.
Zhao [44]; (2013)	TCM	CV8, EX-LE5, SP10, ST34; EA points: SP10, EX-LE5, ST34	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.25 mm/40~70 mm	n.r.
Zhu [45]; (2013)	TCM	Xian, GB34, SP9, ST36, Ashi point; EA points: Xian	2 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 20 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.25 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Che [78]; (2012)	TCM, western medical	EX-LE4, ST35; EA points: all acupoints	2 Hz, 45 min	Elicited	60 mm	0.45 mm/75 mm	n.r.
Li [46]; (2012)	TCM	EX-LE5, Ashi point, ST34, SP10, GB34, SP9, ST36, GB39; Proximal acupuncture points: EX-LE5, Ashi point; EA points: EX-LE5	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	33.3 mm	0.25 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Mavrommatis [27]; (2012)	TCM	ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34, Ex-LE 2, Ex-LE5, LI4, KI3, ST40, SP6; EA points: ST36, SP9, GB34, SP10	2 Hz~6 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.25 mm/30 mm	Doctor specializing in acupuncture
Teng [47]; (2012)	TMC	ST35, EX-LE4, EX-LE2, SP10, ST36, GB34; EA points: all acupoints	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	25.4~38.1 mm	0.30 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Ji [79]; (2011)	TMC	ST35, EX-LE4, GB33, BL40, ST36, GB34, GB39; Individualized acupoints: SP10, BL17, BL23, CV4, SP9, SP6, BL11, BL23; EA points: ST35, EX-LE4	40 Hz~60 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.30 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Meng [28]; (2011)	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.	n.r.
Lu [29]; (2010)	TCM	GB34, SP9, SP10, SP34, ST36; EA points: all acupoints	2 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	10~15 mm	n.r.	Experienced acupuncturist
Wu [80].; (2010)	TCM, western medical	EX-LE5, SP10, ST34; EA points: all acupoints	n.r., 30 min	Elicited	26.7~40.0 mm	0.35 mm/50 mm	n.r.
Ahsin [30]; (2009)	TCM	ST34, ST35, ST36, LR8, SP10, ST44; EA points: all acupoints	3 Hz, 20~25 min	Elicited	10~30 mm	n.r./30 mm	Qualified acupuncturist
Hou [48]; (2008)	TCM	ST35, EX-LE2, ST34, GB34, SP9; EA points: all acupoints	3 Hz, 30 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.30 mm/50 mm	n.r.
Jubb [31]; (2008)	TCM	LI4, SP10, EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, ST36, LR3, BL40, BL57; EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40 BL57	6 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	10~15 mm	0.25 mm/30 mm	Acupuncturist
Wu [49]; (2008)	TCM	EX-LE5, EX-LE2, SP10, SP11, ST34, ST36, SP9; EA points: EX-LE5, SP10, SP11	n.r., 20 min	Elicited	n.r.	n.r./n.r.	n.r.
Qiu [53]; (2006)	TCM, western medical	EX-LE5; EA points: all acupoints	2 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 30 min	Elicited	5.1~6.4 mm	0.45 mm/75 mm	n.r.
Berman [32]; (2004)	TCM	GB34, SP9, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, UB60, GB39, SP6, KI3; EA points: EX-LE5	8 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	7.6~25.4 mm	0.25 mm/38.1 or 25.4 mm	State-licensed acupuncturists who have at least 2 years of clinical experience
Tukmachi [33]; (2004)	TCM	LI4, SP10, EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, ST36, LR3, BL40, BL57; EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40, BL57	6 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	10~15 mm	0.25 mm/30 mm	Acupuncturist
Vas [34]; (2004)	TCM	GB34, SP9, Xian, ST36, LI4; Individualized acupoints: KI3, SP6, ST40; EA points: GB34, SP9, Xian, ST36	2 Hz and 15 Hz (alternate), 20 min	Elicited	n.r.	0.25 mm/45 mm	Doctor specializing in acupuncture^†
Ng [35]; (2003)	TCM according to previous study [81]	ST35, EX-LE4; EA points: all acupoints	2 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	10~15 mm	0.25 mm/40 mm	n.r.
Sangdee [36]; (2002)	TCM	ST35, EX-LE4, LR8, Trigger point (at the level of the joint line, midpoint between EX-LE4 and LR8); EA points: all acupoints	2 Hz, 20 min	Not intended	Superficially (under 12.7 mm)	n.r.	Acupuncturist who received acupuncture training in the People’s Republic of China
Berman [37]; (1999)	TCM	GB34, SP9, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, UB60, GB39, SP6, KI3; EA points: ST35, EX-LE5	2.5 Hz~4 Hz, 20 min	Elicited	10.2–15.2 mm	0.22 mm/25.4 mm	n.r.
Yurtkuran [38]; (1999)	TCM	SP9, GB34, ST34, ST35; EA points: all acupoints	4 Hz, 20 min	n.r.	12.7–25.4 mm	0.25 mm/40 mm	n.r.

TCM: traditional Chinese medicine, EA: electroacupuncture, ES: electrical stimulation, Hz: hertz, min: minutes, and n.r.: not reported.
Accredited by the International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques (ICMART) and the Medical Acupuncture Society of Northern Greece.
^†Accredited by Beijing University of Medical Sciences (China) and by the Scientific Society of Medical Acupuncture.