Objective: To analyze the main factors affecting the positive results of acupuncture for chronic pain in English literature of randomized controlled trial (RCT), in order to provide reference for the design of acupuncture clinical research.
Methods: The RCTs of acupuncture for chronic pain published before March 26, 2020 were searched in PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library by computer. A total of 21 factors were analyzed by single-factor analysis, and the factors with statistically significant difference were selected for multivariate Logistic regression analysis.
Results: A total of 69 RCTs were included, including 47 RCTs (68.12%) with positive results and 22 RCTs (31.88%) with non-positive results. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed with the three screened factors (publication year, treatment frequency and intervention form) selected by single-factor analysis, and the results showed that the positive results were related to the frequency of acupuncture treatment. The positive rate of RCT with frequency≥2 times a week was 3.24 times of that with frequency<2 times a week (OR=3.24, 95%CI =[1.07,9.83], P<0.05).
Conclusion: Acupuncture frequency may be the main factor affecting the positive results of RCT in English literature of acupuncture for chronic pain. More researches are needed in the future to explore the influence of acupuncture frequency on the curative effect.
目的：分析针刺治疗慢性疼痛随机对照试验（RCT）英文文献中阳性结果的主要影响因素，以期为针刺临床研究设计提供参考。方法：计算机检索PubMed、EMbase、Cochrane Library数据库中针刺治疗慢性疼痛的RCT，检索时间从建库至2020年3月26日。对21个因素进行单因素分析筛选出差异有统计学意义的因素后，进行多因素Logistic回归分析。结果：纳入文献69篇，其中阳性结果47篇（68.12%），非阳性结果22篇（31.88%）。对单因素分析筛选出的3个相关因素（发表年份、治疗频次、干预形式）进行多因素Logistic回归分析，结果显示针刺治疗慢性疼痛RCT英文文献中阳性结果与针刺治疗频次相关。频次≥2次/周RCT结果阳性率是频次<2次/周RCT的3.24倍（OR=3.24，95%CI=[1.07,9.83]，P<0.05）。结论：针刺频次可能是针刺治疗慢性疼痛RCT英文文献阳性结果的主要影响因素，未来还需要更多研究深入探索针刺频次对于疗效的影响。.
Keywords: acupuncture; acupuncture frequency; chronic pain; positive results; randomized controlled trial (RCT).