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Acupuncture in sham device controlled trials may not be as effective as acupuncture in the real world: a preliminary network meta-analysis of studies of acupuncture for hot flashes in menopausal women.

Author: AlraekTerje, BirchStephen, KimTae-Hun, LeeMyeong Soo

Journal ArticleAn article published in an academic or professional journal that reports original research or scholarly analysis.
Meta-AnalysisA statistical technique that integrates the results of multiple studies to draw more general conclusions about a particular issue.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tResearch funding provided by government agencies outside the United States.

Overview

To control for the placebo effect in acupuncture studies, researchers use sham treatments. Two main methods are used: one where needles are inserted very shallowly with no stimulation, and another where a device that doesn't pierce the skin is used. To ensure that participants don't know if they are getting real or sham acupuncture, the sham device method requires using the same acupuncture base unit for both real and sham treatment. This isn't necessary for the shallow needling method, where real acupuncture is used.
Paper Details　
Original Abstract of the Article :
Randomised controlled trials of acupuncture performed using sham interventions to control for the placebo effect have mostly used two types of sham techniques: techniques with minimal insertion of acupuncture needles with no additional stimulation (shallow needling control) and techniques with sham ...See full text at original site
Dr.Camel IconDr.Camel's Paper Summary Blogラクダ博士について

ラクダ博士は、Health Journal が論文の内容を分かりやすく解説するために作成した架空のキャラクターです。
難解な医学論文を、専門知識のない方にも理解しやすいように、噛み砕いて説明することを目指しています。

* ラクダ博士による解説は、あくまで論文の要点をまとめたものであり、原論文の完全な代替となるものではありません。詳細な内容については、必ず原論文をご参照ください。
* ラクダ博士は架空のキャラクターであり、実際の医学研究者や医療従事者とは一切関係がありません。
* 解説の内容は Health Journal が独自に解釈・作成したものであり、原論文の著者または出版社の見解を反映するものではありません。


引用元：
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7041625/

データ提供：米国国立医学図書館（NLM）

Acupuncture for Hot Flashes: Real-World vs. Sham-Controlled Trials

Acupuncture has gained popularity as a complementary treatment for various ailments, including hot flashes, a common symptom of menopause. This research explores the effectiveness of acupuncture for hot flashes, comparing the results of sham-controlled trials with real-world applications. Sham-controlled trials, designed to account for the placebo effect, often employ either shallow needling controls or sham devices that do not penetrate the skin.

The authors argue that acupuncture in sham device controlled trials may not be as effective as acupuncture in real-world settings. This suggests that the use of sham devices might influence the results of trials, potentially underestimating the true efficacy of acupuncture in treating hot flashes.

A Shift in Perspective: Real-World Acupuncture

This research highlights the potential limitations of sham-controlled trials in evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture, particularly in the context of hot flashes. It emphasizes the need for more realistic research designs that reflect real-world applications of acupuncture.

A Desert of Placebo Effects

Navigating the desert of health interventions can be tricky, especially when trying to discern the true effects of a treatment from the placebo effect. This research suggests that sham devices used in acupuncture trials might create an artificial desert, potentially obscuring the true benefits of acupuncture in real-world settings.

Dr.Camel's Conclusion

This research raises questions about the accuracy of sham device controlled trials in evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture for hot flashes. It suggests that acupuncture may be more effective in real-world settings than in controlled trials, highlighting the need for further research using more realistic designs.

Date :
  1. Date Completed 2020-06-24
  2. Date Revised 2020-06-24
Further Info :

Pubmed ID

31517500

DOI: Digital Object Identifier

PMC7041625

SNS
PICO Info
in preparation
Languages

English

Positive IndicatorAn AI analysis index that serves as a benchmark for how positive the results of the study are. Note that it is a benchmark and requires careful interpretation and consideration of different perspectives.

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