title: Electroacupuncture is not effective in chronic painful neuropathies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the analgesic efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in patients with chronic painful neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, neuropathic pain (visual analog scale > 4) for at least 6 months, and stable analgesic medications for at least 3 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients were randomized into two arms to be treated with EA or pseudo-EA (placebo).
  
  
  METHODS
  The protocol included 6 weeks of treatment, 12 weeks free of treatment, and then further 6 weeks of treatment. EA or pseudo-EA was performed weekly during each treatment period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was the number of patients treated with EA achieving at least 50% of pain relief at the end of each treatment compared with pain intensity at baseline. Secondary outcomes were modification in patient's global impression of change, depression and anxiety, and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients were randomized to EA and five patients to pseudo-EA as the first treatment. Only one patient per group (EA and pseudo-EA) reported 50% of pain relief at the end of each treatment compared with pain intensity at baseline. Pain intensity did not differ between EA (5.7 ± 2.3 at baseline and 4.97 ± 3.23 after treatment) and pseudo-EA (4.9 ± 1.9 at baseline and 4.18 ± 2.69 after treatment). There was no difference between patients who received EA as the first treatment and patients initially treated with placebo. There was no change in the secondary outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not support the use of EA in this population of painful neuropathy patients. Further studies in larger groups of patients are warranted to confirm our observation.
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Disease Unit Anesthesiology Unit, IRCCS Foundation, Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy. paola.penza@istituto-besta.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Penza
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bricchi
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scola
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010919:Placebos; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D010919:Placebos