Acupuncture and Knee Osteoarthritis A Three-Armed Randomized Trial

Background: Despite the popularity of acupuncture, evidence of its efficacy for reducing pain remains equivocal. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) compared with sham acupuncture (needling at defined nonacupuncture points) and conservative therapy in pa-tients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee. Design: Randomized, controlled trial. Setting: 315 primary care practices staffed by 320 practitioners with at least 2 years ’ experience in acupuncture. Patients: 1007 patients who had had chronic pain for at least 6 months due to osteoarthritis of the knee (American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria and Kellgren–Lawrence score of 2 or 3). Interventions: Up to 6 physiotherapy sessions and as-needed anti-inflammatory drugs plus 10 sessions of TCA, 10 sessions of sha