title: Sham Electroacupuncture Methods in Randomized Controlled Trials.
abstract: Sham electroacupuncture (EA) control is commonly used to evaluate the specific effects of EA in randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). However, establishing an inert and concealable sham EA control remains methodologically challenging. Here, we aimed to systematically investigate the sham EA methods. Eight electronic databases were searched from their inception to April 2015. Ten out of the 17 sham EA methods were identified from 94 RCTs involving 6134 participants according to three aspects: needle location, depth of needle insertion and electrical stimulation. The top three most frequently used types were sham EA type A, type L and type O ordinally. Only 24 out of the 94 trials reported credibility tests in six types of sham EA methods and the results were mainly as follows: sham EA type A (10/24), type B (5/24) and type Q (5/24). Compared with sham EA controls, EA therapy in 56.2% trials reported the specific effects, of which the highest positive rate was observed in type N (3/4), type F (5/7), type D (4/6) and type M (2/3). In conclusion, several sham EA types were identified as a promising candidate for further application in RCTs. Nonetheless, more evidence for inert and concealable sham EA control methods is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Xian
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Xia-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome