title: Acupuncture for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomised pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety and feasibility of acupuncture for participants with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in a pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 participants with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of LSS were randomised to receive acupuncture combined with usual care (acupuncture group), or usual care alone (control group). Participants in the acupuncture group were offered 12-16 sessions of manual acupuncture±electroacupuncture over 6 weeks and maintained their usual self-management. The control group was provided with physical therapy as required and maintained their usual self-management. The primary outcome was the change in back-specific functional status, as measured by the Oswestry disability index (ODI) at the 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included symptoms and other relevant domains. Outcome assessors were not blinded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  39 participants (78%) completed the trial with 524 treatment visits. There were no significant differences between the two groups in back-specific function (ODI: mean difference -2.5, 95% CI -8.9 to 3.8). Pain in the back and/or leg showed small improvements at 3 months, while there were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes. The total number of adverse events was 61 (12% of 524 treatment visits). All but one were minor and transient. The one severe adverse event was deemed to be unrelated to acupuncture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study was feasible. Acupuncture combined with usual care did not confer significant functional improvements over usual care alone. Further randomised trials with adequate sample sizes and outcome assessor blinding are warranted to evaluate the role of acupuncture for LSS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT01987622.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kun Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yu Ri
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Kug
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Baik
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Hun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Weon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gi Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012449:Safety; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: ACUPUNCTURE; COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE