Statistical reanalysis of a randomized trial of acupuncture for pain reveals positive effects as well as adverse treatment interactions on pain, attrition, and mortality

Explore : the Journal of Science and Healing
Samuel C Shiflett, Gary E Schwartz

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine, using analysis of covariance, whether a statistical reanalysis of a previously published study on neuropathic pain would reveal undetected significant effects of acupuncture and amitriptyline on pain, attrition, and mortality in HIV-infected patients. Shlay et al published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (1988) reporting that neither acupuncture nor amitriptyline had effects on pain in HIV-infected patients. However, they failed to perform a factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) or covariance (ANCOVA) reflective of their core research design. Instead, research design problems necessitated the use of a relatively insensitive statistic. The originally planned study employed a completely crossed 2 x 2 design involving acupuncture and amitriptyline and their controls. Reanalyses performed on the raw data involved ANCOVA and Pearson chi-square tests. The factorial option consisted of 125 HIV-infected men with peripheral neuropathic pain, being treated at health clinics in 10 different cities. Outcome measures were pain intensity, global pain relief, attrition, and mortality. In contrast to the originally reported findings, the interactions of amitriptyline and ac...Continue Reading

Citations

May 17, 2011·Explore : the Journal of Science and Healing·Samuel C Shiflett, Gary E Schwartz
Sep 1, 2016·Pain Management·Simon Hayhoe
Oct 12, 2017·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·R Douglas BrucePeter Selwyn

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