Item
1a:
Style
of acupuncture (e.g. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Japanese, Korean,
Western medical, Five Element, ear acupuncture, etc)
Examples:
i)
We based the acupuncture point selections on Traditional Chinese Medicine
meridian theory to treat knee joint pain, known as the “Bi” syndrome.
(2)
ii) Participants were randomised to two styles of acupuncture: Japanese
style (Kiiko-Matsumoto’s Form) and Traditional Chinese Medicine style.
(3)
iii) Four out of five of the acupuncturists primarily practised the Five
Element style with a diagnostic focus on individual ‘Causative
Factors’,(ref) and one used the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) style
with diagnosis primarily based on syndrome patterns.(ref) Both styles are
rooted in traditional acupuncture theory, and they are the most common
traditional approaches used by professional acupuncturists in the UK
today(ref).
(4)
iv) Each patient was treated with non-local needle acupuncture (according
to the theory of channels of Traditional Chinese Medicine) at distant
points, and dry needling of local myofascial trigger points.
(5)
Item
1b: Reasoning
for treatment provided, based on historical context, literature sources,
and/or consensus methods, with references where appropriate
Explanation:
The author(s) should provide the reasoning for the chosen treatment,
including rationale for diagnosis, point selection and treatment
procedures. The “rules” that were used in providing treatments should
be described. When treatments were selected that have roots in traditional
practice, it is recommended that the historical and cultural context be
supplied. This is relevant
for interventions within styles such as “Traditional Chinese Medicine”
or “TCM”, where the broad diversity of approaches requires careful
identification of where and when the treatment parameters were developed.
Where consensus methods, expert clinical panels, practitioner surveys or
some combination of sources have been used to define the treatment
protocol, it is recommended that full details of the methodology be given.
Literature and other sources should be provided where relevant, in order
that others can replicate the trial by consulting these source(s) and/or
developmental methods on which treatment was based. Authors are encouraged
to reference published works that are easily obtainable, such as a book or
journal article. If the reference is a thesis, non-published work, written
material only available in a different language from the journal article,
or a verbal communication, authors are encouraged to present or summarise
the information in an appendix or make it otherwise generally available
(e.g. on a website). For fully individualised trials where the goal is to
have representative practitioners who are encouraged to practice as they
normally do, it is appropriate to specify the selection process for the
practitioners, providing details of criteria for their inclusion. It is
important to note that where details of the intended intervention are
defined in advance, it is possible that what was actually administered may
have differed. In such cases, precise details of the treatments that were
provided are also necessary.
Examples:
i)
This
study employed a style of Japanese acupuncture developed by Shima and
Chace (ref) and Manaka et al (ref), and
follows the Japanese acupuncture training curriculum at the New England
School of Acupuncture. In comparison to typical traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM) acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture uses smaller needles and
inserts needles less deeply and with less manipulation.(ref) For these
reasons, we believed Japanese acupuncture would be less invasive than TCM,
and thus better received by our adolescent population. Japanese
acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating certain pain
conditions.(ref) The specific acupuncture protocols employed in this study
are briefly described below and discussed in greater detail in a companion
paper(ref).
(6)
Item
1c:
Extent to which treatment was varied
Examples:
i)
Each patient received individualized acupuncture treatments that focused
on specific needs and symptoms that the individual was experiencing. The
rationale for this intervention was to test acupuncture as it is typically
performed in practice. Point selection was based on the general principles
of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.(ref) The treatment was
modified over the course of the study to accommodate the individual’s
changing pattern of pain, sleep, or other health issues.
(10)
ii)
The
verum points consisted of obligatory points and additional points
individually chosen by the physicians on the basis of traditional Chinese
medicine diagnosis for syndromes (including tongue diagnosis), acupuncture
channels related to the individual headache area, and Ah Shi points (locus
dolendi points).
(11)
iii)
The acupuncture protocol was based on the concept of adequacy of
treatment,(ref) survey results,(ref)
a
consensus workshop, and recommendations from traditional Chinese
protocols. We did not allow moxibustion, cupping, herbs, or
electroacupuncture. For each individualised treatment session between six
and 10 acupuncture points from 16 commonly used local and distal points
were selected. Local points were Sp 9, Sp 10, St 34, St 35, St 36, Xiyan,
Gb 34, and trigger points. Distal points were LI 4, TH5, Sp 6, Liv 3, St
44, Ki 3, BI 60, and Gb 41.
(12)
