Acupoint Embedding of Polyglactin 910 Sutures in Patients with Chronic Pain due to Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial
Table 3
Secondary outcome measures (the clinical symptom and function assessment).
Outcome Measure
SAE (n = 34)
MAPE (n = 34)
DAPE (n = 34)
Tukey’s Comparison
MAPE vs. SAE
DAPE vs. SAE
DAPE vs. MAPE
Diff. (95% CI)
P
Diff. (95% CI)
P
Diff. (95% CI)
P
Yasuhisa Tanaka 20 (YT-20), Mean ± SD
Baseline
13.1 ± 2.6
12.1 ± 3.4
12.6 ± 3.2
−1.0 (−3.1 to 1.0)
>.05
−0.9 (−2.9 to 1.0)
>.05
0.1 (−1.8 to 2.0)
>.05
T 1w
13.6 ± 2.7
13.0 ± 3.4
13.5 ± 3.2
−0.6 (−2.7 to 1.4)
>.05
−0.1 (−2.1 to 1.8)
>.05
0.5 (−1.4 to 2.4)
>.05
T 2w
13.5 ± 2.5
14.9 ± 2.2
15.3 ± 2.8
1.6 (−0.5 to 3.6)
>.05
1.7 (−0.2 to 3.7)
<.05
0.2 (−1.7 to 2.1)
>.05
T 3w
13.2 ± 2.6
17.5 ± 1.6
17.4 ± 1.9
4.3 (2.3 to 6.3)
<.001
4.2 (2.2 to 6.1)
<.001
−0.1 (−2.0 to 1.8)
>.05
F 4w
13.4 ± 2.7
13.9 ± 2.7
12.5 ± 3.3
−0.2 (−2.1 to 1.6)
>.05
−2.4 (−4.2 to -0.6)
>.05
−2.2 (−3.9 to −0.4)
>.05
F 10w
13.5 ± 2.5
14.6 ± 2.0
14.7 ± 3.0
1.1 (−0.5 to 2.6)
>.05
0.4 (−1.4 to 2.2)
>.05
−2.2 (−3.9 to −0.4)
>.05
P(t)
0.053
<.001
<.001
NA
Neck Deficiency Index (NDI), Mean ± SD
Baseline
40.7 ± 4.5
39.3 ± 6.7
39.8 ± 7.0
−1.5 (−4.9 to 2.0)
>.05
−0.9 (−4.4 to 2.6)
>.05
−4.4 (−11.9 to 3.1)
>.05
T 1w
40.0 ± 4.8
37.5 ± 8.4
35.5 ± 6.2
−2.4 (−5.9 to 1.0)
>.05
−4.5 (−8.0 to −1.1)
<.01
−5.4 (−13.0 to 2.1)
>.05
T 2w
40.5 ± 4.8
39.1 ± 7.4
35.8 ± 7.1
−1.4 (−4.9 to 2.0)
>.05
−4.7 (−8.2 to −1.3)
<.01
−5.9 (−13.5 to 1.6)
>.05
T 3w
39.9 ± 4.8
34.4 ± 6.7
31.5 ± 5.6
−5.5 (−9.0 to −2.0)
<.001
−8.4 (−11.9 to −5.0)
<.001
−4.7 (−12.2 to 2.9)
>.05
F 4w
39.3 ± 4.4
35.4 ± 5.7
31.9 ± 5.9
−4.0 (−7.4 to −0.5)
<.05
−7.4 (−10.9 to -4.0)
<.001
−5.0 (−12.5 to 2.5)
<.05
F 10w
39.7 ± 4.8
30.1 ± 6.3
27.6 ± 6.2
−9.6 (−13.1 to −6.2)
<.001
−12.1 (−15.5 to −8.6)
<.001
−4.0 (−11.5 to 3.6)
>.05
P(t)
0.119
<.001
<.001
NA
SAE, sham acupoint embedding group; MAPE, middle-layer (the semispinalis capitis muscle layer) PGLA embedding group; DAPE, deep-layer (the multifidus muscle layer) PGLA embedding group; CI, confidence interval; NA, not applicable. 1w, 1 week; 2w, 2 weeks; 3w, 3 weeks; 4w, 4 weeks; 10w, 10 weeks; T, treatment; F, follow-up. P(t) refers to the p-values between different treatment time points.
