Effects of Electroacupuncture on Opioid Consumption in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

It is safe to reduce opioid medication use in patients with chronic pain. Due to the small sample size, we could not confirm if electroacupuncture offers extra benefit in addition to education. This nondrug therapy could be a promising adjunct to facilitate opioid tapering in patients who are willing to reduce opioids.

Evaluación de la disminución del consumo de medicamentos en usuarios de los servicios de medicina complementaria de EsSalud 2017

“…Diversos estudios aseguran que dicha afluencia se basa tanto en fenómenos sociales como terapéuticos, que se enmarcan en algunas tendencias que van desde una creciente insatisfacción junto con la pérdida de la confianza en la biomedicina tecnológicamente sofisticada (10,13,16) hasta un incremento en la demanda para controlar el costo de la salud (15) Shalom Sharabi et al, reportan que la medicina complementaria e integrativa podría reducir la necesidad de analgésicos no opioides entre los pacientes con cáncer de mama o cáncer ginecológico (17) . Zheng Z. et al, concluye que es seguro reducir la medicación con opioides en pacientes con dolor crónico, por el tamaño de la muestra no se puede confirmar si la electroacupuntura ofrece un beneficio adicional a la educación; esta terapia no farmacológica podría ser un complemento para disminuir la terapia con opioides en pacientes que están dispuestos a reducirlos (18) . Frenkel y Hermoni en su estudio "Effects of homeopathic intervention on medication consumption in atopic and allergic disorders", describen ahorros de costos para una organización israelí de mantenimiento de la salud.…”

Multidisciplinary care for opioid dose reduction in patients with chronic non-cancer pain: A systematic realist review

“…A pragmatic trial assessing acupuncture in a community-based setting over a 6-day period demonstrated that 32% of patients self-reported a reduction in opioid use over the course of the trial [49]. Two studies of electroacupuncture, however, were not able to demonstrate any significant analgesic effect or any effect on opioid use [115,116].…”

Deprescribing long‐term opioid therapy in patients with chronic pain

“…20 Despite these regulatory changes, the evidence base for clinician-led opioid tapering is weak. A literature search of 'opioids', 'tapering' and 'pain' from 2016 (when the CDC guidelines were released) until the time of the symposium in November 2019 identified 14 studies evaluating clinician-led opioid tapering, [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] but with just one controlled study comparing different tapering schedules. 22 While it is therefore impossible to make strong recommendations about best practice currently, summarising the studies provides some relevant insights (Table 1).…”

“…22 While it is therefore impossible to make strong recommendations about best practice currently, summarising the studies provides some relevant insights (Table 1). Seven studies followed the CDC or VA guidelines, 21,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29] four used other sequential dose reduction schedules 22,[29][30][31] and three took unstructured, individualised approaches. [32][33][34] Most were outpatient programmes but a few were inpatient.…”