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Table 2 Primary and secondary outcome measurements of intention-to-treat analysis during the entire study

From: Effects of intensity of electroacupuncture on chronic pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Outcome

Strong EA

Weak EA

Sham EA

Pairwise comparison

Strong EA vs. sham EA

Weak EA vs. sham EA

Strong EA vs. weak EA

Effect size (95% CI)

P value

Effect size (95% CI)

P value

Effect size (95% CI)

P value

Primary outcome

 CPM, mean (SD)a

  Weeks 0–1

0.64 (0.16)

0.12 (0.27)

0.44 (0.24)

0 (0 to 0)

.33

0 (− 0.31 to 0.32)

0.98

0.15 (− 0.13 to 0.42)

.29

  Weeks 0–2

14.85 (0.16)

4.75 (0.28)

1.43 (0.24)

13.54 (13.23 to 13.85)

< .01

3.80 (3.45 to 4.15)

< .01

9.73 (9.44 to 10.02)

< .01

 VAS, mean (SD)b

  Weeks 0–1

− 1.34 (0.10)

− 1.52 (0.14)

0.65 (0.14)

− 0.58 (− 0.71 to − 0.44)

< .01

− 0.77 (− 0.93 to − 0.62)

< .01

0.19 (0.04 to 0.35)

.01

  Weeks 0–2

− 2.97 (0.10)

− 2.75 (0.15)

1.19 (0.14)

− 1.58 (− 1.75 to − 1.4)

< .01

− 1.36 (− 1.57 to − 1.16)

< .01

− 0.22 (− 0.42 to − 0.03)

.03

 WOMAC, mean (SD)c

  Weeks 0–1

− 13.03 (0.56)

− 13.06 (0.87)

− 3.47 (0.80)

− 9.35 (− 10.75 to − 7.96)

< .01

− 9.66 (− 11.26 to − 8.07)

< .01

0.18 (− 1.23 to 1.59)

.80

  Weeks 0–2

− 20.92 (0.56)

− 20.55 (0.89)

− 8.87 (0.81)

− 11.70 (− 12.52 to − 10.89)

< .01

− 11.55 (− 12.52 to − 10.58)

< .01

− 0.15 (− 1.06 to 0.75)

.74

Secondary outcome

 NPRS, mean (SD)c

  Weeks 0–1

− 1.59 (0.10)

1.12 (0.14)

0.72 (0.14)

− 0.93 (− 1.1 to − 0.76)

< .01

− 0.69 (− 0.9 to − 0.49)

< .01

− 0.11 (− 0.3 to − 0.07)

.24

  Weeks 0–2

− 2.97 (0.11)

2.48 (0.14)

1.40 (0.14)

− 1.55 (− 1.76 to − 1.33)

< .01

− 1.07 (− 1.31 to − 0.83)

< .01

− 0.47 (− 0.7 to − 0.24)

< .01

 ES, mean (SD)c

  Weeks 0–1

− 1.69 (0.12)

− 1.36 (0.16)

0.71 (0.13)

− 0.91 (− 1.09 to − 0.73)

< .01

− 0.67 (− 0.88 to − 0.45)

< .01

− 0.3 (− 0.5 to − 0.1)

< .01

  Weeks 0–2

− 3.28 (0.13)

− 2.56 (0.16)

1.24 (0.13)

− 1.88 (− 2.12 to − 1.65)

< .01

− 1.22 (− 1.49 to − 0.95)

< .01

− 0.67 (− 0.92 to − 0.42)

< .01

 PPI, mean (SD)c

  Weeks 0–1

− 0.70 (0.07)

− 0.68 (0.09)

0.29 (0.09)

− 0.44 (− 0.58 to − 0.29)

< .01

− 0.45 (− 0.62 to − 0.28)

< .01

0.04 (− 0.11 to 0.19)

.59

  Weeks 0–2

− 1.46 (0.07)

− 1.39 (0.09)

0.65 (0.09)

− 0.78 (− 0.96 to − 0.6)

< .01

− 0.82 (− 1.03 to − 0.6)

< .01

0.04 (− 0.16 to 0.24)

.72

  1. EA electroacupuncture, VAS visual analog scale, CPM conditioned pain modulation, WOMAC Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, NPRS numeric pain rating scale, ES emotional scale, PPI present pain intensity
  2. aHigher values indicate better status
  3. bRating scales 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being excruciating
  4. cLower values indicate better status
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Arthritis Research & Therapy

ISSN: 1478-6362

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