Acupuntura para tratar la epicondilitis lateral crónica del codo: un estudio clínico prospectivo, aleatorizado y controlado

Abstract

Background To determine if point location is an important determinant in the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment. The clinical effectiveness of real and sham acupuncture treatment was evaluated in chronic lateral epicondylitis, an example of a musculoskeletal pain. The primary outcome parameters were pain intensity, its duration, maximal strength and disability. Methods 54 patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis were randomly divided into 2 groups to be treated either by real acupuncture or by sham acupuncture (non-acupoints) in the same segment. Depth of insertion and method of needle manipulation did not differ between both groups. Ten treatments were reducigiven (2 treatments/week). Using the target parameters, patients were examined 1 week before the start of treatment, 2 weeks and 2 months after the end of treatment. Treatment was carried out ‘blind’ to both patient and investigator. Results 2 weeks after the end of treatment in the real acupuncture group pain intensity was significantly reduced (8.03 ± 1,23 versus 12.28 ± 1.07; p = 0.005), the maximal strength was significantly increased (128.20 ± 11.14 N versus 92.76 ± 8.99 N; p = 0.012) and the disability was significantly reduced (14.38 ± 2.50 versus 25.19 ± 3.52; p = 0.009). 2 months after the end of treatment the disability questionnaire showed still significant lower values in the real acupuncture group. Differences in pain intensity and maximal strength between the groups were no longer significant and had improved in both groups. Conclusions In the treatment of chronic lateral epicondylitis the selection of classical acupoints results in a significantly better outcome than invasive sham acupuncture at early follow-up. This additional effect could be interpreted as a particular effect of real acupuncture.