Table 2 Effects of acupuncture on WOMAC and SF-12 over time, including comparison between groups over time
Groups | Times | Effect over time P value a | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baseline (n = 36) | 4 weeks (n = 35) | 8 weeks (n = 28) | 12 weeks (n = 28) | 16 weeks (n = 28) | Group effect | Time effect | Group/time interaction | |
WOMAC index, median (first and third quartiles) | ||||||||
WOMAC total | ||||||||
 High-sensitization group | 49.85 (19.25–69.13) (95% CI 32.39–77.90) | 24.95 (14.85–36.37) (95% CI 14.19–51.44) | 15.15 (7.80–23.60) (95% CI 6.87–37.17) | 10.75 (4.35–26.42) (95% CI 5.92–31.77) | 9.25 (4.88–26.82) (95% CI 1.92–45.12) | 0.38 | < 0.001 | 0.67 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 49.05 (21.03–102.85) (95% CI 39.55–97.44) | 38.30 (9.70–58.00) (95% CI 19.39–61.78) | 20.50 (8.25–49.33) (95% CI 13.40–43.87) | 22.70 (12.10–52.55) (95% CI 15.07–49.78) | 25.80 (9.20–55.85) (95% CI 12.03–49.75) | |||
WOMAC pain | ||||||||
 High-sensitization group | 10.00 (5.50–21.68) (95% CI 8.11–19.47) | 5.70 (2.35–10.95) (95% CI 3.19–11.79) | 2.75 (1.37–6.00) (95% CI 1.61–8.76) | 2.30 (0.88–6.10) (95% CI 1.15–7.97) | 2.60 (1.00–4.90) (95% CI 0.54–9.67) | 0.16 | < 0.001 | 0.34 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 12.65 (6.60–19.98) (95% CI 9.80–19.97) | 6.70 (3.83–13.00) (95% CI 5.03–13.62) | 5.50 (2.68–11.50) (95% CI 4.00–9.64) | 5.00 (3.20–9.25) (95% CI 3.59–9.94) | 5.20 (3.10–10.35) (95% CI 3.41–9.69) | |||
WOMAC stiffness | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 High-sensitization group | 2.40 (1.08–8.65) (95% CI 2.00–8.09) | 2.50 (0.50–3.50) (95% CI 0.81–5.16) | 0.95 (0.20–2.03) (95% CI 0.24–3.49) | 0.45 (0.00–1.58) (95% CI 0.06–2.52) | 0.60 (0.00–1.05) (95% CI − 0.40–4.01) | 0.13 | 0.001 | 0.52 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 5.30 (0.83–8.88) (95% CI 3.56–8.44) | 2.60 (0.95–5.35) (95% CI 1.33–4.53) | 1.90 (0.08–4.03) (95% CI 0.96–4.25) | 1.60 (0.00–3.10) (95% CI 0.69–4.25) | 1.15 (0.00–2.68) (95% CI 0.62–4.39) | |||
WOMAC function | Â | Â | Â | |||||
 High-sensitization group | 31.00 (12.50–46.43) (95% CI 20.50–52.12) | 19.50 (11.50–24.10) (95% CI 9.61–35.08) | 11.15 (4.85–17.40) (95% CI 4.78–25.16) | 7.70 (3.18–18.30) (95% CI 4.47–21.54) | 6.55 (2.93–21.55) (95% CI 1.60–31.62) | 0.56 | < 0.001 | 0.34 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 31.30 (12.98–68.23) (95% CI 25.23–70.00) | 11.50 (5.15–41.45) (95% CI 12.59–44.08) | 9.85 (5.18–34.05) (95% CI 8.16–30.24) | 16.60 (7.10–37.70) (95% CI 10.14–36.23) | 17.50 (5.25–37.75) (95% CI 7.51–36.17) | |||
SF-12 index, median (first and third quartiles) | ||||||||
Physical health | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 High-sensitization group | 35.90 (27.11–42.05) (95% CI 28.11–39.53) | 40.98 (34.53–46.66) (95% CI 35.04–46.09) | 43.70 (38.09–50.87) (95% CI 38.52–47.80) | 45.67 (40.48–46.96) (95% CI 40.96–46.54) | 41.60 (36.70–46.02) (95% CI 38.49–44.64) | 0.56 | < 0.001 | 0.81 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 38.54 (25.91–44.44) (95% CI 31.55–45.76) | 40.95 (36.30–48.48) (95% CI 40.60–47.34) | 40.35 (33.55–48.70) (95% CI 36.97–46.10) | 40.69 (35.30–47.04) (95% CI 37.79–46.58) | 40.45 (32.45–45.99) (95% CI 35.24–45.47) |  |  | |
Mental health | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 High-sensitization group | 53.74 (47.45–56.68) (95% CI 49.22–57.07) | 57.52 (47.84–59.04) (95% CI 46.29–59.18) | 52.25 (43.82–55.54) (95% CI 45.02–54.19) | 48.42 (46.05–59.27) (95% CI 42.16–56.26) | 54.26 (42.73–58.95) (95% CI 41.70–57.10) | 0.32 | < 0.001 | 0.25 |
 Low/non-sensitization group | 45.89 (37.66–56.20) (95% CI 37.90–53.79) | 54.76 (46.36–57.47) (95% CI 46.74–55.31) | 57.42 (42.04–57.98) (95% CI 43.59–55.43) | 57.42 (55.53–59.04) (95% CI 51.97–59.18) | 55.94 (50.05–58.77) (95% CI 49.26–57.63) |  |  | |