title: Acupuncture for the treatment of severe acute pain in herpes zoster: results of a nested, open-label, randomized trial in the VZV Pain Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on the potential efficacy of acupuncture (AC) in controlling intense or very intense pain in patients with Herpes Zoster (HZ) has not been so far adequately assessed in comparison with standard pharmacological treatment (ST) by a controlled trial design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within the VZV Pescara study, pain was assessed in HZ patients on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and by the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) both at the beginning and at the end of treatment. Response rates, mean changes in pain intensity, differences in total pain burden with an area-under-the-curve (AUC) method over a 1-year follow-up and differences in the incidence of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and two patients were randomized to receive either AC (n = 52) or ST (n = 50) for 4 weeks. Groups were comparable regarding age, sex, pain intensity at presentation and missed antiviral prescription. Both interventions were largely effective. No significant differences were observed in response rates (81.6% vs 89.2%, p = 0.8), mean reduction of VAS (4.1 +/- 2.3 vs 4.9 +/- 1.9, p = 0.12) and MPQ scores (1.3 +/- 0.9 vs 1.3 +/- 0.9, p = 0.9), incidence of PHN after 3 months (48.4% vs 46.8%, p = 0.5), and mean AUC during follow-up (199 +/- 136 vs 173 +/- 141, p = 0.4). No serious treatment-related adverse event was observed in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This controlled and randomized trial provides the first evidence of a potential role of AC for the treatment of acute herpetic pain.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ChiCTR-TRC-10001146.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Pescara General Hospital, Pescara, Italy. parruti@tin.it
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ursini
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tontodonati
authors.forename: Lamberto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manzoli
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polilli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rebuzzi
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Congedo
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Profio
authors.forename: Patrizia Marani
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Consorte
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Placido
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laganà
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Amario
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Granchelli
authors.forename: Giustino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parruti
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pippa
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid