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Table 2 Acupuncture protocols for chronic low back pain in the papers

From: An economic analysis of usual care and acupuncture collaborative treatment on chronic low back pain: A Markov model decision analysis

Paper and study type

Nation

Type of acupuncture

Theory and rationale

Treatment area and acupuncture points

Treatment sessions

Treatment duration (min)

Carlsson (2001) RCT [30]

Sweden

Disposable, stainless steel, diameter between 0.30 mm and 0.32 mm, length between 30 mm and 70 mm

Not-mentioned

Lower back lower limbs, forearms or hands (Bladder and large intestine acupuncture points)

8 session per 8 weeks

20 minutes

Leibing (2002) RCT [34]

Germany

Wrapped one-way stainless steel, sterilised needle diameter 0.30 mm length40 mm

Traditional Chinese medicine

Body and ear (Governor Vessel, bladder, gall bladder, spleen acupuncture points)

20 session per 12 weeks

30 minutes

Kerr (2003) RCT [32]

Northern Ireland

Not-mentioned

Not-mentioned

Bladder, gall bladder, kidney meridian and governor vessel acupuncture points

6 session per 6 weeks

30 minutes

Meng (2003) [35]

USA

Disposable, sterile 30-gauge needles

Traditional Chinese medicine

Urinary bladder meridian

10 session per 5 weeks

Not-mentioned

Thomas (2006) Pragmatic RCT [25]

UK

Sterilised, disposable needle, needle length and diameter were not predefined

Not-mentioned

Bladder, gall bladder meridian acupuncture points

10 session per 3 months

Not-mentioned

Brinkhaus (2006) RCT [29]

Germany

Sterile, disposable needle length 50 mm

Not-mentioned

bladder, governor Vessel, small intestine, bladder, kidney, gall bladder meridian acupuncture points

12 session per 8 weeks

30 minutes

Kwon RCT (2007) [33]

S. Korea

Disposable stainless needle

Donguibogam

Gall bladder, small intestine, bladder meridian acupuncture points

12 session per 4 weeks

20 minutes

HIRA (2009) [30]

S. Korea

40 mm length, 0.30 mm width, stainless steel metal

Acupuncture (Textbook)

Bladder, Du mai channel, small intestine, gallbladder, channel etc.

Not-mentioned

20 minutes