|
| Study ID | Sample size | Intervention | Outcome | Participant’s blinding assessment |
| Acupuncture group (M : F) | Control group (M : F) | Duration | Acupuncture group | Control group |
|
| Included in meta-analysis |
| Deluze [42] | 36 (3 : 33) | 34 (13 : 21) | 6 sessions over 3 weeks | Electroacupuncture: four common points (the first dorsal interosseous muscle of the hand and the anterior tibial muscle on both sides) + 6 other points (according to patient’s symptoms and pattern) | Nonacupoint electroacupuncture: 20 mm away from the electroacupuncture points | [Pain]: VAS, pain threshold, regional pain score
[Sleep quality]: VAS
[General status]: patient’s appreciation, evaluating physician’s appreciation,
[Others]: VAS of morning stiffness, number of analgesic tablets during the last week | Not reported |
| Harris et al. [21] | 29 (0 : 29) | (1) 30 (3 : 27)
(2) 28 (4 : 24)
(3) 27 (1:26) | 18 sessions over 9 weeks | Manual acupuncture: GV20, LI11, LI4, GB34, ST36, SP6, LR3, Shenmen manipulation for De Qi (−) | (1) Simulated acupuncture: same points as the verum acupuncture group, but the skin was not pierced.
(2) Nonacupoint acupuncture: nonacupoints determined by acupuncturists.
(3) Simulated acupuncture on nonacupoint: combination of 1 and 2 | [Pain]: NRS
[Fatigue]: MDFI
[Others]: SF-36 | The participants remained blinded at week 4 (Fisher’s exact χ2 = 7.531, P = 0.259) |
| Martin [43] | 25 (0 : 25) | 25 (1 : 24) | 6 sessions over 2-3 weeks | Electroacupuncture: LI4, ST36, LR2, SP6, PC6, HT7, axial paramedian points along the bladder meridian at the cervical or lumbar spine. The sensation of De Qi or needle grab was not elicited | Simulated electroacupuncture: same points as the verum acupuncture group, but the skin was not pierced | [Pain]: pain of FIQ, pain of MPI
[Sleep quality]: sleep of FIQ
[Fatigue]: fatigue of FIQ
[General status]: FIQ
[Others]: physical function, well-being, stiffness and anxiety, depression of FIQ, interference, life control, affective distress, and general activity level of MPI | Only 7 were correct in the control group (28%) |
| Harris [41] | 10 (0 : 10) | 10 (0 : 10) | 18 sessions over 9 weeks | Manual acupuncture: GV20, LI11, LI4, GB34, SP6, LR3, Shenmen, ST36 manipulation for De Qi (+) | Unclassified acupuncture: non-skin-penetrating pricking sensation within similar body locations as the TCM acupuncture points | [Pain]: SF-MPQ
[Others]: positron emission tomography | Only 1 was correct in the control group |
| Stival et al. [31] | 21 (4 : 17) | 15 (1 : 14) | 1 session | Manual acupuncture: LI4, ST36, LR2, SP6, PC6, HT7 | Nonacupoint acupuncture: 15 mm left away from the TCM acupuncture point | [Pain]: VAS | Not reported |
| Vas et al. [30] | 82 (0 : 82) | 82 (0 : 82) | 9 sessions over 9 weeks | Manual acupuncture: 8 common points (LI4, PC6, SP6, LR3, BL18, BL20, SP6, GB34) + other points (according to patient’s symptoms and, pattern) manipulation for De Qi (+) | Simulated acupuncture on inappropriate acupoints: acupuncture simulation (through guide tube) on the dorsal and lumbar regions | [Pain]: VAS, pressure pain threshold, number of tender points
[General status]: FIQ
[Others]: depression of HAM, physical and mental of SF-12 | Over 75% of the participants in both groups were confident that the intervention was real |
| Ugurlu et al. [33] | 25 (0 : 25) | 25 (0 : 25) | 12 sessions over 8 weeks | Manual acupuncture: LI4, ST36, LR3, GB41, GB34, GB20, SI3, SI4, BL62, BL10, SP6, HT7, GV20, GV14, KI27, CV6, PC6
Manipulation for De Qi (−) | Simulated acupuncture: park sham devices | [Pain]: VAS
[fatigue]: FSS
[general status]: FIQ
[others]: SF-36, BDI | Not reported |
| Karatay et al. [32] | 25 (0 : 25) | (1) 25 (0 : 25)
(2) 25 (0 : 25) | 8 sessions over 4 weeks | Manual acupuncture: GV14, SI15, LI4, LI11, HT7, PC6, CV6, LR3, ST36, and SP6 | (1) Simulated acupuncture: blocking by bandage at the same points as TCM acupuncture.
(2) Nonacupoint acupuncture: 10–20 mm away from the TCM acupuncture points | [Pain]: VAS, number of tender points, pain of NHP
[Sleep quality]: sleep of NHP
[General status]: FIQ
[Others]: SF-36, BDI, NHP, serotonin, substance P | Not reported |
|
| Excluded from meta-analysis |
| Assefi et al. [12] | 25 (3 : 22) | (1) 25 (1 : 24)
(2) 24 (0 : 24)
(3) 25 (1 : 24) | 24 sessions over 12 weeks | Manual acupuncture: LI11, SP9, CV12, ST25, K7, TE5, Yintang, BL43, BL44, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL22, KI7 | (1) Simulated acupuncture: toothpick in the guide tube at identical points as the verum acupuncture group
(2) Nonacupoint acupuncture: body locations not recognized as true acupoints or meridians
(3) Acupuncture on points unrelated to FMS: acupoints for irregular menses or “early menses due to blood heat” | [Pain]: VAS
[fatigue]: VAS
[Sleep quality]: VAS
[Others]: well-being of VAS and physical and mental of SF-36 | 32% of participants believed they were receiving acupuncture specifically designed for fibromyalgia |
| Sprott [39] | 10 | (1) 10
(2) 10 | 6 sessions over 2 weeks | Manual acupuncture: various acupoints according to patient’s symptoms and pattern | (1) Simulated laser acupuncture: disconnected laser equipment
(2) Waitlist | [Pain]: number of positive tender points, VAS, pain threshold
[General status]: interview | Not reported |
|
