Heat-Sensitive Moxibustion in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Three-Armed Multicentre Randomised Active Control Trial

Abstract

The trial was registered at Controlled Clinical Trials: ChiCTR-TRC-09000600.

Moxibustion Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis

“…Overall, 3 trials were performed in China, and 1 was performed in Korea. 23 The moxibustion treatments in 3 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) 20–22 were based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory as the guide for the implementation procedures. The points were chosen according to the traditional Korean medicine in the other RCT.…”

“…The mean duration of follow-up ranged from 3 to 28 weeks. The intervention typesin the control groups were sham moxibustion in 2 studies, 20,21 intraarticular sodium hyaluronate in 1 study, 22 and usual care (UC) in 1 study. 23 One RCT tested the positive effects of moxibustion on KOA, utilizing the following 3 randomized groups: HSM group, conventional moxibustion group, and intraarticular sodium hyaluronate control group.…”

“…23 One RCT tested the positive effects of moxibustion on KOA, utilizing the following 3 randomized groups: HSM group, conventional moxibustion group, and intraarticular sodium hyaluronate control group. 22 The HSM group was removed from this meta-analysis. KOA in patients retrieved from the articles was confirmed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria in 3 trials, 20,21,23 and the criteria of the Guiding Principles of Clinical Research on New Drugs were used to diagnosis KOA in 1 study.…”

“…KOA in patients retrieved from the articles was confirmed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria in 3 trials, 20,21,23 and the criteria of the Guiding Principles of Clinical Research on New Drugs were used to diagnosis KOA in 1 study. 22 Two RCTs calculated the appropriate sample capacity before conducting the trials according to the previous pilot study. 22,23 Three RCTs reported ethical approval of the study protocol from their Institutional Review Boards before the study enrollment of the 1st participant.…”

Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Acupuncture for Chronic Knee Pain

“…18 Complementary and alternative therapies, including acupuncture and moxibustion, may be employed as adjuvant treatments. [19][20][21][22][23][24] It has been reported that acupuncture is effective for knee pain management, especially for chronic knee pain and knee pain after total knee arthroplasty. [25][26][27] The potential mechanisms of acupuncture underlying its beneficial effects on knee pain may include prevention of further cartilage erosion as well as more conventional analgesic mechanisms.…”