Review Article

Efficacy Comparison of Five Different Acupuncture Methods on Pain, Stiffness, and Function in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Network Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Characteristics of the included studies.

Author, YearLocationSample size / GenderMean Age InterventionsFollow up
T(M/F)C(M/F)TCTSessions/  
Duration  
(n/ws)
CMeasurement  
Time Points  
(ws)

Berman 2004 [26]USA190(70/120)189(62/127)65.2±8.465.1±8.8EA23/26EDU4/8/14/2626ws
191(73/118)66.2±8.7SN
Berman 1999 [27]USA363765.7±7.9565.5±9.13MA16/8WL4/8/1212ws
Zhou 2017[18]China54(25/29)56(23/33)65±663±6FN12/4EA4/8NA
Hinman 2014[28]Australia70(38/32)71(31/40)64.3±8.662.7±8.7MA8,12/12SN12/2612ms
Lu 2014[17]China30(16/14)30(18/12)58.93±9.2659.10±7.85EA24/8WN8NA
Manheimer 2006 [29]USA190(70/120)189(62/127)65.2±8.465.1±8.8MA16,12/8,12EDU4/8/14/2626ws
191(73/118)66.2±8.7SN
Sangdee 2002 [9] Thailand48(10/38)49(10/39)65.10±3.461.84±8.95EA12/4SN44ws
Zhang 2013 [16]China33(13/20)34(14/20)57±858±9FN12/4WN4NA
Scharf 2006 [10] Germany326(106/220)365(110/255)62.8±9.963.0±10.1MA10/6SN13/2626ws
Takeda 1994 [11]Canada20(10/10)20(10/10)63.0±8.7860.2±9.75MA9/3SN3/74ws
Vas 2004 [12]Spain48(11/37)49(5/44)65.7±11.068.4±9.1EA12/12SN1312ws
Fan 2016 [30]China54(21/33)54(24/30)58 ± 6.256 ± 8.4FN8/4WN1/4NA
Wang 2017 [13]China252161±658±7WN12/3WL36ds
Chen 2013 [14]USA104(51/53)109(52/57)60.5±11.160.4±11.7EA12/⩽12SN12/2626ws
Jubb 2008 [31]USA343564.1±1.666.1±1.9EA10/5SN99ms
Gao 2012 [15]China34(13/21)35(15/20)57.7±8.758.6±8.9EA24/8WN4/8NA

M: male; F: female; T: treatment group; C: control group; NA: not available; EA: electro-acupuncture; SN: sham needle; MA: manual acupuncture; WN: warm needle; FN: fire needle; WL: waiting list; EDU: education; n: number; ws: weeks; ms: months; ds: days.