Evidence mapPaperPMID 40990366Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2025

Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture at Sensitized Acupoints for Knee Osteoarthritis: Protocol for a Multicenter, Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Zenan Wu, Zehao Hu, Zixuan Xu, Tao Xiao, Qiuxuan Huang, Xu Zhou, Haifeng Zhang, Yong Fu

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06805188 (Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06805188 narecruitingnot on this map

Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorWu zenanRan2025 to 2026Enrolled350ConditionsOsteoarthritis of the Knees, Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee, OsteoarthritisArmsAcupuncture, Sham acupuncture
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Zenan Wu *Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6298-4688
Zehao Hu *Shantou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shantou, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2341-1016
Zixuan XuClinical Medical College, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, China.ORCID 0009-0001-2166-6595
Tao XiaoClinical Medical College, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, China.ORCID 0009-0001-2815-0743
Qiuxuan HuangShantou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shantou, China.ORCID 0009-0008-1854-140X
Xu ZhouEvidence-based Medicine Research Center, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9541-4796
Haifeng ZhangDepartment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3177-8387
Yong FuDepartment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.ORCID 0000-0002-3020-1618

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKnee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent osteoarthritic disorder. Although acupuncture is increasingly used in clinical practice for KOA management, its efficacy remains to be further optimized.

objectiveThis trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture at sensitized acupoints for the treatment of KOA.

methodsWe will recruit 350 patients diagnosed with KOA from 3 clinical centers in this single-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomized to receive either acupuncture at 5 high-probability sensitized acupoints or sham acupuncture with nonpenetrative needling using Takakura acupuncture simulation devices. Both groups will receive 24 sessions over 8 weeks, followed by a 16-week posttreatment follow-up period. The primary outcome is the proportion of responders, defined as a reduction of 2 or more points in the Numeric Rating Scale score at week 8. Secondary outcomes include changes in scores on validated scales for KOA severity, walking distance, disability, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and pain self-efficacy. Adverse events will be documented for safety evaluation.

resultsThe first participant was enrolled on February 15, 2025, and by June 28, 2025, we had enrolled 25 patients. Data analysis has not yet been initiated. The completion of data collection is anticipated by March 2026.

conclusionsThis trial aims to provide confirmatory and exploratory evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of sensitized acupoint-based acupuncture for treating KOA. If the hypothesized benefits are substantiated, sensitized acupoint-based acupuncture could emerge as a complementary and alternative therapy for KOA, potentially reducing reliance on medication and mitigating drug-related adverse effects.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06805188; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06805188. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/77336.

Indexed as

Acupuncture PointsAcupuncture TherapyOsteoarthritis, KneeAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMulticenter Studies as TopicRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSingle-Blind MethodTreatment Outcomeacupoint sensitizationacupunctureefficacyknee osteoarthritisrandomized controlled trialsafety

Identifiers

PMID40990366
PMCPMC12508665

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.