Table 3 Placebo-control studies
STUDY | CONTROL TREATMENT | SAMPLE SIZE OF CONTROL GROUP | BASELINE PAIN VAS SCORE [mean(sd) or median/100 mm] | OUTCOME INTERVAL | ABSOLUTE CHANGE (mm on VAS)* | RELATIVE CHANGE (%) | EFFECT SIZE | QUALITY SCORE (Jadad Scale out of 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trock et al., 1994 [49] | Placebo EMT, 3–5/week for four weeks | 29 | 62.3 (24.16) | 2 weeks 4 weeks 8 weeks | -12 -16.3 -14.7 | -19 -26 -24 | .44 .67 .54 | 5 |
Sator-Katzensch-lager et al., 2003 [50] | Control auricular acupuncture, 1 Tx per week for 6 weeks | 11 | 71 (3) | 6 weeks 10 weeks | -16 -4 | -22 -5 | 5.3* .99 | 5 |
Gur et al., 2004 [59] | Placebo laser, 10 treatments in 2 weeks | 26 | 72 (2.52) | 2 weeks 3 weeks 12 weeks | -5.7 -11.7 +.04 | -8 -16 +1 | .14 .26 +.01 | 4.5 |
Rigato et al., 2002 [47] | Placebo electrotherapy daily for 15 days | 50 | High = 80 Med = 48 Low = 36 (no sd's) | 7,15 & 45 days | At 7 days High = 0 Med = 0 Low = -8 At 15 days High = 0 Med = 0 Low = 0 At 45 days High = 0 Med = +2 Low = +2 | At 7 days High = 0 Med = 0 Low = -22 At 15 days High = 0 Med = 0 Low = 0 At 45 days High = 0 Med = +4 Low = +6 | Â | 4 |
Snyder-Mackler et al., 1989 [52] | Placebo laser, 3 Tx over 9 days | 11 | 55 (no sd) | 9 days | -3 | -5 | Â | 4 |
Foley-Nolan et al., 1990 [29] | Placebo EMT for 3 weeks | 10 | 67.5 (median) | 3 weeks | -12.5 | -19 | Â | 4 |
Hong et al., 1982 [60] | Non-magnetic necklace for 3 weeks | 25 | 71 (14) [converted from 4-point scale] | 3 weeks | -7 | -10 | .05 | 4 |
Thorsen et al., 1992 [30] | Placebo laser, 6 Tx over 2 weeks; then, cross-over | 47 | 21 (median) | 3 weeks | -10 | -48 | Â | 3.5 |
Wheeler et al., 1998 [61] | 1–2 botox injections | 11 | 65 (5) [NPDS/100*] | 3 weeks 16 weeks | -16 -21 | -24.6 -32.2 | 2.2* 2.6* | 3 |
Ceccherelli et al., 1989 [28] | Placebo laser for 12 Tx over 24 days | 14 | 29.2 (12.6) | 4 weeks 12 weeks | +8.2 +6.4 | +28 +22 | -.56 -.40 | 3 |
Nabeta and Kawakita, 2002 [54] | Sham acupuncture, 3 Tx over 3 weeks | 17 | 48.8 (27.9) | 4 weeks | -2 | -4 | .07 | 3 |
Irnich et al., 2001 [55] | Sham laser acupuncture, 5 Tx over 3 weeks | 57 | 57.15 (26.71) | 4 weeks | -17.28 [10–24.6] | -30 |  | 3 |
He et al., 2004 [51] | Sham acupuncture, 10 Tx over 4 weeks | 12 | 48 (9) | 4 weeks 24 weeks | -12.1 -12.1 | -24 -24 | 1.4 1.4 | 3 |
Ozdemir et al., 2001 [53] | Placebo laser, daily for 10 days | 30 | 73 (14) | 10 days | -5 | -7 | .04 | 3 |
TOTAL/AVERAGE |  | 350 | 56.6 |  | For 0–10 weeks = -5.0 [-8.1, -1.9] mm For 12–24 weeks = -6.7 [-18.6, 5.2] mm | For 0–10 weeks = -10.6% [-16.4, -4.8] For 12–24 weeks = -8.3% [-32.4, 15.8] | For 1–10 weeks = .50 [0.10, 0.9] For 12–24 weeks = .33 [-1.97, 2.6] |  |