Validating a nonacupoint sham control for laser treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The goals of the present study were to evaluate the effect and safety of combined 10.6 microm and 650 nm laser acupuncture-moxibustion on patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to validate a nonacupoint sham control for assessing the effect of point specificity on the treatment.


METHODS
A randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial was conducted in an outpatient clinical setting on patients with knee OA (n = 40). Laser irradiation was performed on acupoint Dubi (ST35) and a sham point three times a week for 4 wk. Outcome measurements were performed at baseline and at wk 2 and 4 using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities' Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).


RESULTS
At the 2-wk assessment, i.e., after 6 treatments, improvement in the WOMAC pain score of the acupoint group was significantly greater than that of the control group (49.21% vs. 11.99%, respectively; p = 0.021). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the WOMAC physical function score (p = 0.129) or joint stiffness score (p = 0.705). No side effects were found during the trial.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined 10.6-mum-650-nm laser acupuncture-moxibustion on acupoint ST35 is safe to use and was effective after 2-wk treatment, but not at the 4-wk assessment, in relieving knee OA pain compared to a nonacupoint sham control. A larger clinical trial to verify our findings is warranted.
Zhao
Ling
L
Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Shen
Xueyong
X
Cheng
Ke
K
Deng
Haiping
H
Ding
Guanghong
G
Tan
Ming
M
Lao
Lixing
L
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D020127:Recovery of Function