title: Acupuncture for chronic low back pain: a multicenter, randomized, patient-assessor blind, sham-controlled clinical trial.
abstract: METHODS
  Multicenter, randomized, patient-assessor blind, sham-controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment with individualized setting for reduction of bothersomeness in participants with chronic low back pain (cLBP).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Low back pain is one of the main reasons of disability among adults of working age. Acupuncture is known as an effective treatment of cLBP, but it remains unclear whether acupuncture is superior to placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirty adults aged 18 to 65 years with nonspecific LBP lasting for at least last 3 months prior to the trial participated in the study from 3 Korean medical hospitals. Participants received individualized real acupuncture treatments or sham acupuncture treatments for more than 6 weeks (twice a week) from Korean Medicine doctors. Primary outcome was change of visual analogue scale (VAS) score for bothersomeness of cLBP. Secondary outcomes included VAS score for pain intensity and questionnaires including Oswestry Disability Index, general health status (Short Form-36), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no baseline differences observed between the 2 groups, except in the Oswestry Disability Index. One hundred sixteen participants finished the treatments and 3- and 6-month follow-ups, with 14 subjects dropping out. Significant difference in VAS score for bothersomeness and pain intensity score of cLBP has been found between the 2 groups (P < 0.05) at the primary end point (8 wk). In addition, those 2 scores improved continuously until 3-month follow-up (P = 0.011, P = 0.005, respectively). Oswestry Disability Index, the Beck Depression Inventory, and Short Form-36 scores were also improved in both groups without group difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This randomized sham-controlled trial suggests that acupuncture treatment shows better effect on the reduction of the bothersomeness and pain intensity than sham control in participants with cLBP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Rehabilitation Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Jeong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yun-Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yun-Yeop
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Byung-Cheul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Im-Hee
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hi-Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyang-Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Koh-Woon
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Heung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Won-Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jun-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mi-Yeon
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D056910:Republic of Korea; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult