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

Teris Cheung; Yuen Shan Ho; Chun Sum Yuen; Chun Sing Lam; Billy Chun Lung  So; Shu Cheng  Chen; Doris Y.P. Leung; Lorna Kwai Ping  Suen; Larry Tin Yau  So; Alex Chun Hei  Ho; Wing Fai  Yeung

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

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

Teris Cheung, Yuen Shan Ho, Chun Sum Yuen, Chun Sing Lam, Billy Chun Lung So, Shu Cheng Chen, Doris Y.P. Leung, Lorna Kwai Ping Suen, Larry Tin Yau So, Alex Chun Hei Ho, Wing Fai Yeung^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Chinese Medicine - Teaching and Research Division

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › 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.

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

Scopus Subject Areas

Complementary and alternative medicine

User-Defined Keywords

Acupuncture
Clinical trials
Elderly
Moxibustion
Pain
TCM

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10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101254

Cite this

@article{cf9ab8a8cfbd4bf3a3979170b580571e,

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.",

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

author = "Teris Cheung and Ho, {Yuen Shan} and Yuen, {Chun Sum} and Lam, {Chun Sing} and So, {Billy Chun Lung} and Chen, {Shu Cheng} and Leung, {Doris Y.P.} and Suen, {Lorna Kwai Ping} and So, {Larry Tin Yau} and Ho, {Alex Chun Hei} and Yeung, {Wing Fai}",

note = "Funding Information: This project was supported by the Yan Chai Social Services Department, Yan Chai Hospital, Hong Kong. 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",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

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

language = "English",

volume = "41",

journal = "Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice",

issn = "1744-3881",

publisher = "Churchill Livingstone",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electromoxibustion for knee osteoarthritis in older adults

T2 - A pilot randomized controlled trial

AU - Cheung, Teris

AU - Ho, Yuen Shan

AU - Yuen, Chun Sum

AU - Lam, Chun Sing

AU - So, Billy Chun Lung

AU - Chen, Shu Cheng

AU - Leung, Doris Y.P.

AU - Suen, Lorna Kwai Ping

AU - So, Larry Tin Yau

AU - Ho, Alex Chun Hei

AU - Yeung, Wing Fai

N1 - Funding Information: This project was supported by the Yan Chai Social Services Department, Yan Chai Hospital, Hong Kong. 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

PY - 2020/11

Y1 - 2020/11

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.

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.

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

C2 - 33190009

AN - SCOPUS:85096222353

SN - 1744-3881

VL - 41

JO - Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

JF - Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

M1 - 101254

ER -

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

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