Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Cheuk Chi Teris Cheung; Yuen Shan Ho; Sam Chun Sum Yuen; Chun Sing Lam; Chun Lung So; Shu Cheng Chen; Kwai Ping Lorna Suen; Alex Chun Hei  Ho; Larry Tin Yau  So; Wing Fai Yeung

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Cheuk Chi Teris Cheung, Yuen Shan Ho, Sam Chun Sum Yuen, Chun Sing Lam, Chun Lung So, Shu Cheng Chen, Kwai Ping Lorna Suen, Alex Chun Hei Ho, Larry Tin Yau So, Wing Fai Yeung (Corresponding Author)

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background Electromoxibustion devices are commercially available and can be self-administered by patients. Nevertheless, little is known about the effectiveness and potential burn injury of these devices as this topic is under-investigated. Objective To assess the preliminary effects and safety of an electromoxibustion (EM) device for improving knee pain and joint functions in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Design, setting, participants and intervention This was a pilot two-armed assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of electromoxibustion (EM) on older adults with KOA. A total of 38 subjects aged 60 or above, with KOA for 3 months or above were recruited. Participants were randomized to the EM group or the knee health education group. The intervention group (n = 21) received 12 sessions of EM spanning across four weeks, while the control group (n = 17) received two sessions of knee health education. Main outcome measures Primary outcome included the pain severity Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and week 4. Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short-Form Six-Dimension (SF6D), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Fast Speed Gait (FSG). Results Both groups showed a decreasing trend in knee pain intensity by NRS at post-intervention. There were also trends of improvement in the WOMAC score, TUG score, FGS test score and SF-6D score at week 4. Only a small between-group effect size (d = 0.13) was found, but medium between-group effects sizes were found in the WOMAC total score (d = 0.40) and WOMAC functional sub-score (d = 0.51). However, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion This study suggested that EM may be beneficial for KOA in older adults, particularly in terms of improving knee function. Replication of similar studies in larger RCTs is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of EM on reducing pain and knee function of older adults with KOA. Trail registration number NCT04034394.

Original language	English
Article number	101254
Journal	Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Volume	41
Issue number	101254
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254
Publication status	Published - 6 Nov 2020

Keywords

Acupuncture
Clinical trials
Elderly
Moxibustion
Pain
TCM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Complementary and alternative medicine

More information

10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

Cite this

@article{9e6bffb370b5498f88d225dad78f9daf,

title = "Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial",

abstract = "Background Electromoxibustion devices are commercially available and can be self-administered by patients. Nevertheless, little is known about the effectiveness and potential burn injury of these devices as this topic is under-investigated. Objective To assess the preliminary effects and safety of an electromoxibustion (EM) device for improving knee pain and joint functions in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Design, setting, participants and intervention This was a pilot two-armed assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of electromoxibustion (EM) on older adults with KOA. A total of 38 subjects aged 60 or above, with KOA for 3 months or above were recruited. Participants were randomized to the EM group or the knee health education group. The intervention group (n = 21) received 12 sessions of EM spanning across four weeks, while the control group (n = 17) received two sessions of knee health education. Main outcome measures Primary outcome included the pain severity Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and week 4. Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short-Form Six-Dimension (SF6D), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Fast Speed Gait (FSG). Results Both groups showed a decreasing trend in knee pain intensity by NRS at post-intervention. There were also trends of improvement in the WOMAC score, TUG score, FGS test score and SF-6D score at week 4. Only a small between-group effect size (d = 0.13) was found, but medium between-group effects sizes were found in the WOMAC total score (d = 0.40) and WOMAC functional sub-score (d = 0.51). However, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion This study suggested that EM may be beneficial for KOA in older adults, particularly in terms of improving knee function. Replication of similar studies in larger RCTs is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of EM on reducing pain and knee function of older adults with KOA. Trail registration number NCT04034394.",

keywords = "Acupuncture, Clinical trials, Elderly, Moxibustion, Pain, TCM",

author = "Cheung, {Cheuk Chi Teris} and Ho, {Yuen Shan} and Yuen, {Sam Chun Sum} and Lam, {Chun Sing} and So, {Chun Lung} and Chen, {Shu Cheng} and Suen, {Kwai Ping Lorna} and Ho, {Alex Chun Hei} and So, {Larry Tin Yau} and Yeung, {Wing Fai}",

note = "Funding Information: This project was supported by the Yan Chai Social Services Department, Yan Chai Hospital, Hong Kong. Funding Information: This project is supported by Yan Chai Hospital (Project no.: P0030413 ). We were very grateful to the neighborhood elderly centers (NEC) at Yan Chai Social Services Department for advertisement and recruitment of participants in this study. Special thanks went to all the social workers who assisted in the overall logistics in this study. We also thank Mr. Hon-Fat Wong and Ms. Ping-Woi Lau for delivering the electromoxibustion intervention and Ms. Ng Sing Fung for delivering the knee health education. We were also thankful to those subjects who participated in this study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254",

language = "English",

volume = "41",

journal = "Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice",

issn = "1744-3881",

publisher = "Churchill Livingstone",

number = "101254",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial

AU - Cheung, Cheuk Chi Teris

AU - Ho, Yuen Shan

AU - Yuen, Sam Chun Sum

AU - Lam, Chun Sing

AU - So, Chun Lung

AU - Chen, Shu Cheng

AU - Suen, Kwai Ping Lorna

AU - Ho, Alex Chun Hei

AU - So, Larry Tin Yau

AU - Yeung, Wing Fai

N1 - Funding Information: This project was supported by the Yan Chai Social Services Department, Yan Chai Hospital, Hong Kong. Funding Information: This project is supported by Yan Chai Hospital (Project no.: P0030413 ). We were very grateful to the neighborhood elderly centers (NEC) at Yan Chai Social Services Department for advertisement and recruitment of participants in this study. Special thanks went to all the social workers who assisted in the overall logistics in this study. We also thank Mr. Hon-Fat Wong and Ms. Ping-Woi Lau for delivering the electromoxibustion intervention and Ms. Ng Sing Fung for delivering the knee health education. We were also thankful to those subjects who participated in this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/11/6

Y1 - 2020/11/6

N2 - Background Electromoxibustion devices are commercially available and can be self-administered by patients. Nevertheless, little is known about the effectiveness and potential burn injury of these devices as this topic is under-investigated. Objective To assess the preliminary effects and safety of an electromoxibustion (EM) device for improving knee pain and joint functions in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Design, setting, participants and intervention This was a pilot two-armed assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of electromoxibustion (EM) on older adults with KOA. A total of 38 subjects aged 60 or above, with KOA for 3 months or above were recruited. Participants were randomized to the EM group or the knee health education group. The intervention group (n = 21) received 12 sessions of EM spanning across four weeks, while the control group (n = 17) received two sessions of knee health education. Main outcome measures Primary outcome included the pain severity Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and week 4. Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short-Form Six-Dimension (SF6D), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Fast Speed Gait (FSG). Results Both groups showed a decreasing trend in knee pain intensity by NRS at post-intervention. There were also trends of improvement in the WOMAC score, TUG score, FGS test score and SF-6D score at week 4. Only a small between-group effect size (d = 0.13) was found, but medium between-group effects sizes were found in the WOMAC total score (d = 0.40) and WOMAC functional sub-score (d = 0.51). However, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion This study suggested that EM may be beneficial for KOA in older adults, particularly in terms of improving knee function. Replication of similar studies in larger RCTs is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of EM on reducing pain and knee function of older adults with KOA. Trail registration number NCT04034394.

AB - Background Electromoxibustion devices are commercially available and can be self-administered by patients. Nevertheless, little is known about the effectiveness and potential burn injury of these devices as this topic is under-investigated. Objective To assess the preliminary effects and safety of an electromoxibustion (EM) device for improving knee pain and joint functions in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Design, setting, participants and intervention This was a pilot two-armed assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of electromoxibustion (EM) on older adults with KOA. A total of 38 subjects aged 60 or above, with KOA for 3 months or above were recruited. Participants were randomized to the EM group or the knee health education group. The intervention group (n = 21) received 12 sessions of EM spanning across four weeks, while the control group (n = 17) received two sessions of knee health education. Main outcome measures Primary outcome included the pain severity Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and week 4. Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short-Form Six-Dimension (SF6D), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) and Fast Speed Gait (FSG). Results Both groups showed a decreasing trend in knee pain intensity by NRS at post-intervention. There were also trends of improvement in the WOMAC score, TUG score, FGS test score and SF-6D score at week 4. Only a small between-group effect size (d = 0.13) was found, but medium between-group effects sizes were found in the WOMAC total score (d = 0.40) and WOMAC functional sub-score (d = 0.51). However, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion This study suggested that EM may be beneficial for KOA in older adults, particularly in terms of improving knee function. Replication of similar studies in larger RCTs is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of EM on reducing pain and knee function of older adults with KOA. Trail registration number NCT04034394.

KW - Acupuncture

KW - Clinical trials

KW - Elderly

KW - Moxibustion

KW - Pain

KW - TCM

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096222353&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

DO - 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1744-3881

VL - 41

JO - Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

JF - Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

IS - 101254

M1 - 101254

ER -

Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract

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