How Acupuncture Might Work: A Review of Clinical Trials
Author Information
Author(s): Moffet Howard H
Primary Institution: Kaiser Permanente – Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
Hypothesis
To what extent do contemporary acupuncture clinical trials propose physiologic rationales?
Conclusion
Many acupuncture trials fail to offer a meaningful rationale, but proposing a rationale can help investigators develop and test causal hypotheses.
Supporting Evidence
- Seventy-nine acupuncture clinical trials were identified.
- Twenty-six studies (33%) offered no physiologic rationale.
- Fifty-three studies (67%) posited a physiologic basis for acupuncture.
Takeaway
This study looked at many acupuncture trials to see if they explained how acupuncture works. Most didn't, but those that did often said it helps the body release natural painkillers.
Methodology
The author conducted a PubMed search for acupuncture clinical trials published in English in 2005 and reviewed each article for physiologic rationales and other characteristics.
Limitations
Only articles published in English were included, and many rationales provided were inadequate or not formally tested for validity.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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