Retracted: Effect of Sham Acupuncture on Chronic Pain: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Along with increasing research on acupuncture for chronic pain, the validity of sham acupuncture (SA) has also been argued.

Methods

Nine databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the inception dates of the databases to July 5, 2022. With Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, a Bayesian multiple-treatment network meta-analysis (NMA) with random-effects model was conducted.

Results

A total of 62 RCTs with 6,806 patients and four kinds of treatments (real acupuncture [RA], non-acupuncture [NA], penetrative SA [PSA], and non-penetrative SA [NPSA]) were included. The results indicated that both NPSA and PSA were not superior to NA in improving chronic pain (NPSA: mean difference [MD]= -4.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] -11.09 to 1.52; PSA

SUBMITTER: Zhou R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10069856 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature