Effectiveness of acupuncture combined with naproxen in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a controlled experimental study
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Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), naproxen, on pain, knee function, quality of life, and medication consumption among patients with knee osteoarthritis. A controlled experimental study design was employed. A total of 100 participants were divided into two groups: a control group of 50 patients who received naproxen 250 mg, and an experimental group of 50 patients who received acupuncture in combination with naproxen. Acupuncture was administered twice weekly for four consecutive weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and a medication-use record from week 0 to week 5. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The results showed that baseline characteristics between the two groups were mostly not significantly different, except for age, with the experimental group being significantly older than the control group (p<0.05). After treatment, the experimental group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in total WOMAC scores than the control group from week 1 to week 4. At week 4, the mean WOMAC score was 33.8±29.9 in the experimental group compared with 57.3±32.4 in the control group (p<0.05). In addition, KOOS scores for pain, activities of daily living, and sports and recreation function were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at several time points, particularly at week 4 (p<0.05). Furthermore, the experimental group used significantly fewer naproxen tablets than the control group every week (p<0.05). At week 5, the median medication use was 1 tablet (IQR 0.0-0.4) in the experimental group compared with 6 tablets (IQR 2.0-8.0) in the control group. In conclusion, acupuncture combined with naproxen tended to be more effective than naproxen alone in reducing pain and disease severity, improving knee function, and decreasing NSAID consumption among patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, further randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are recommended to confirm the effectiveness and durability of the treatment outcomes.
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References
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