Sham devices impede real acupuncture 2023

Stimulated by Lee et al 2023.[1] Photo by Iai_man_nung on Unsplash. NMA – network meta-analysisRCT – randomised controlled trialOAK – osteoarthritis of the kneeMA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureSMD – standardised mean differenceMCID – minimum clinically important differenceNICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence key to acronyms I first wrote about this on … Continue reading Sham devices impede real acupuncture 2023

Antidepressants for pain 2023

Inspired by Ferreira et al 2023.[1] Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.comI chose an image that looks a bit like one formulation of duloxetine – the SNRI that probably figures most prominently in the research discussed. NICE – National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceSR – systematic reviewSNRIs – serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitorsCI – confidence intervalMCID … Continue reading Antidepressants for pain 2023

Acupuncture and dementia risk in migraine

Inspired by Huang et al 2022.[1] Photo by Rad Cyrus on Unsplash. NHIRD – National Health Insurance Research Database (Taiwan)HR – hazard ratioaHR – adjusted hazard ratioSR – systematic reviewNMA – network meta-analysisEA – electroacupunctureMA – manual acupuncture key to acronyms It has been a while since I have seen one of these huge retrospective … Continue reading Acupuncture and dementia risk in migraine

The FAMOUS study 2022

Inspired by Gang et al 2022.[1] SMD – standardised mean difference (effect size)MA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureTENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulationTEAS – TENS over acupuncture points key to acronyms This is the ninth of the BMJ Series of papers titled Acupuncture: How to improve the evidence base. It comes with the less than … Continue reading The FAMOUS study 2022

Evidence mapping 2022

Inspired by number 8 in the BMJ acupuncture research series.[1–8] SR – systematic reviewICU – intensive care unitRCT – randomised controlled trialGRADE – Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (a method of grading the quality or ‘certainty’ and strength or ‘effect size’ of evidence inhealthcare)MSK – musculoskeletalES – effect sizeSMD – standardised mean differenceTMJD … Continue reading Evidence mapping 2022

Where to start in LBP

Stimulated by Harwood et al 2022.[1] Photo by Adam Jones on Unsplash. Photo by Olenka Kotyk on Unsplash. LBP – low back painUS – United States of AmericaHCCI – Heath Care Cost InstituteED – emergency departmentEM – emergency medicinekey to acronyms This is very large retrospective observational cohort from the US examining opioid use, other … Continue reading Where to start in LBP

Acupuncture and fracture risk in OA

Inspired by Huang et al 2022.[1] Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com OA – osteoarthritisJICM – Journal of Integrative and Complementary MedicineJACM – Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVIP – very important personaHR – adjusted hazard ratiokey to acronyms This paper appeared online on the 14th of this month in JICM, and it was then that … Continue reading Acupuncture and fracture risk in OA

Risk of T2DM in RA

Inspired by Chen et al 2021.[1] Tea fields, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Photo by Alexa Soh on Unsplash. T2DM – type 2 diabetes mellitusRA – rheumatoid arthritisCHD – coronary heart diseaseaHR – adjusted hazard ratioMA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureTNFα – tumour necrosis factor alpha (a potent inflammatory cytokine)LHID – longitudinal health insurance database … Continue reading Risk of T2DM in RA

An SR of AEs 2021

Inspired by Bäumler  et al 2021.[1] Photo by Dominika Kwiatkowska on Pexels.com SR – systematic reviewAE(s) – adverse event(s)SAE(s) – serious adverse event(s)RoB – risk of biaskey to acronyms I was a bit surprised to see this big AE review full of forest plots in BMJ Open last week. This is the first review of … Continue reading An SR of AEs 2021

Acupuncture for CP CPPS

Inspired by Sun et al 2021.[1] Points used in the trial adapted from Supplement 3 of the publication.[1] CP – chronic prostatitisCPPS – chronic pelvic pain syndromeRCT – randomised controlled trialIF – impact factorNIH-CPSI – National Institute of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom IndexMA – manual acupunctureMCID – minimal clinically important differenceSUI – stress urinary incontinencekey … Continue reading Acupuncture for CP CPPS