Inspired by Liu et al 2024.[1] Image from HVAC photoshoot 2012.[6] EA – electroacupunctureOA – osteoarthritisOAK – OA of the kneeSR – systematic reviewNICE – the National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceHVAC – high volume acupuncture clinicRoB – risk of biasNSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsIPDM – individual patient data meta-analysisGRADE – Grading of Recommendations, … Continue reading EA for OAK 2024
Category: NICE
Acupuncture versus topiramate in chronic migraine 2024
Stimulated by Liu et al 2024.[1] IF – impact factorRCT – randomised controlled trialART – Acupuncture Randomised Trial (part of the Modellvorhaben Akupunktur)RR50 – responder rate 50 (50 refers to a reduction of 50% or more in headache days)MMDs – monthly migraine daysNICE – National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceNMA – network meta-analysis – … Continue reading Acupuncture versus topiramate in chronic migraine 2024
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 for LBPGP 2022
Inspired by Yang et al 2022.[1] Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com LBPGP – low back or pelvic girdle pain during pregnancyNICE – National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceRCTs – randomised controlled trialsQoL – quality of lifeLBP – low back painPGP – pelvic girdle pain key to acronyms I did see this review paper … Continue reading Acupuncture for LBPGP 2022
Exercise vs IA saline in OAK
Inspired by Bandak et al 2022.[1] IA – intra-articularOA – osteoarthritisOAK – OA kneeGLA:D – Good Life with osteoArthritis in DenmarkUS – ultrasoundKOOS – Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome ScoreSMD – standardised mean difference (a measure of effect size used in meta-analyses)EA – electroacupunctureMCID – minimum clinically important differencekey to acronyms I am very grateful … Continue reading Exercise vs IA saline in OAK
Consider acupuncture for chronic pain
Stimulated by NG193.[1] Photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash. NICE – National Institute for Health & Care ExcellencecLBP – chronic low back painMSK – musculoskeletalGERAC – German acupuncture trials (large 3 arm trials with ~1000 patients in each)MCID – minimum clinical important differenceLA – local anaestheticCRPS – complex regional pain syndromeRFD – radiofrequency denervation. key … Continue reading Consider acupuncture for chronic pain
Acupuncture, drugs or Botox for chronic migraine?
Stimulated by Zheng et al 2021,[1] Giovanardi et al 2020,[2] and Yin et al 2020.[3] Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com Botox – botulinum toxin type ACI – confidence intervalEBM – evidence based medicinefMRI – functional magnetic resonance imagingGRADE – grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluationIF – impact factorMWoA – migraine without auraNMA – … Continue reading Acupuncture, drugs or Botox for chronic migraine?
Manual acupuncture for migraine
Stimulated by Xu et al.[1] Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash. I casually picked up my copy of the BMJ on Friday 27th March 2020. The date on the cover was 28th March, in case any of you go searching. The cover image is a road sign mandating “Keep your distance”. Obviously COVID-19 is the big story, so … Continue reading Manual acupuncture for migraine
Acupuncture vs propranolol in migraine
Stimulated by Chen et al 2019.[1] Photo by Carolina Heza on Unsplash. I nearly overlooked this paper when it popped up on my PubMed search a few days after being published online in the Journal of Neurology on 21st August 2019. I guess it was the comparison with propranolol, and the fact that beta-blockers have … Continue reading Acupuncture vs propranolol in migraine










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