Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Frequentist Network Meta-Analysis and Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation
Table 4
Risk difference and number needed to treat for each intervention.
Treatments
RD [95% CI]
NNT [95% CI]
NSAIDs
Reference
Reference
Normal acupuncture
0.20
[0.12; 0.29]
4.98
[8.63; 3.50]
Anticonvulsants
0.01
[−0.14; 0.16]
95.08
[7.09 (H) to ∞ to 6.17(B)]
Acupoint injection
−0.07
[−0.38; 0.24]
−14.96
[2.65 (H) to ∞ to 4.12 (B)]
Acupotomy
0.17
[0.08; 0.27]
5.84
[13.01; 3.76]
Electrical needling
0.16
[0.03; 0.29]
6.24
[31.34; 3.46]
Fire needling
0.26
[0.17; 0.35]
3.84
[5.91; 2.85]
Moxibustion
0.24
[0.15; 0.34]
4.08
[6.78; 2.92]
Warm needling
0.31
[0.17; 0.45]
3.24
[5.80; 2.24]
NSAIDS, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; RD, risk difference; NNT, number needed to treat; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval; (H), number needed to treat to be harmful; (B), number needed to treat to be beneficial.