Combination Treatment with Thread-Embedding Acupuncture and Electroacupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis Patients with Postoperative Pain: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combination treatment with thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) and electroacupuncture (EA) in patients with persistent knee pain after arthroscopic surgery, autologous chondrocyte implantation, or autologous osteochondral transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twelve patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) who experienced postoperative pain were randomized to either the treatment group (TG) or control group (CG) in a 1:1 ratio. The TG received TEA once a week for four sessions and EA twice a week for eight sessions while continuing usual care, defined as standard conventional treatments. The CG received only usual care for four weeks. The primary outcome was the visual analogue scale (VAS) score at week 4 compared with the baseline. The secondary outcomes were the VAS scores at weeks 2, 6, and 8, the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC), the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), and rescue medication consumption at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Adverse events were assessed at each visit.

RESULTS

The TG showed significant improvement in the VAS scores at weeks 4, 6, and 8 compared with the CG (week 4: -24.5; p = 0.0106, week 6: -19.667; p = 0.0228, week 8: -28.667; p = 0.0036). In the TG, significant differences were observed in K-WOMAC total scores at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 (week 2: 17.167; p = 0.0083, week 4: 23; p = 0.0018, week 6: 29.833; p = 0.0009, week 8: 30.5; p = 0.0006); however, there were no differences between the two groups. The two groups had no significant differences in the EQ-5D-5L and rescue medication consumption. No adverse events were observed in either groups during the study period.

CONCLUSION

This feasibility study suggests that adding combination treatment with TEA and EA to usual care might relieve pain in patients with KOA. Large-scale clinical trials are needed to confirm the long-term effects of combination treatment.