title: Efficacy and feasibility of acupuncture for patients in the ED with acute, nonpenetrating musculoskeletal injury of the extremities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a pilot study to assess the efficacy of acupuncture as an analgesic intervention for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) after minor acute trauma to the extremities. In addition, we sought to assess the feasibility of performing acupuncture in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acupuncture was used as primary analgesia for a convenience sample of ED patients with acute, nonpenetrating extremity injury. Efficacy was measured using a visual analog scale before treatment, immediately after acupuncture (time 0), and every 30 minutes thereafter. A telephone call was made to patients within 72 hours to ascertain pain levels using a 0 to 10 numerical rating scale. Markers of feasibility included average time patients spent in the fast track area of the ED vs average time in the department (TID) for all fast track patients with similar injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 47 patients approached, 20 (43%) consented to participate. The mean age of those who consented was 33 years, and 70% (n = 14) were male. Median change in visual analog scale score for pre-acupuncture vs time 0 was 16 mm, with range of 0 to 60 mm. Median numerical rating scale score at time of discharge and at follow-up was 3. Median TID was 135 minutes, with a range of 55 to 255 minutes. Patients with extremity injury who did not receive acupuncture had a median TID of 90 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that acupuncture can be an effective analgesic intervention for patients with acute injury to the extremities. Acupuncture did not increase patients' TID. Minor complications were reported.
authors.affiliation: Ruth and Harry Roman Emergency Department, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA. alissa.arnold@cshs.org
authors.forename: Alissa A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: B Evan
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Silka