La acupuntura, realizada en un solo punto, mejora la sintomatología del dolor de hombro tratado con fisioterapia

Este artículo, que relata el trabajo de investigación del equipo de la "Unidad de Tratamiento del Dolor" del Centro de Salud Doña Mercedes en Dos Hermanas -Sevilla-, será explicado en breve en castellano.

Rheumatology (Oxford). 2008 Jun;47(6):887-93. Epub 2008 Apr 10.Click here to read Links

Comment in:
ACP J Club. 2008 Nov-Dec;149(4):12.

Single-point acupuncture and physiotherapy for the treatment of painful shoulder: a multicentre randomized controlled trial.
Vas J, Ortega C, Olmo V, Perez-Fernandez F, Hernandez L, Medina I, Seminario JM, Herrera A, Luna F, Perea-Milla E, Mendez C, Madrazo F, Jimenez C, Ruiz MA, Aguilar I.

Pain Treatment Unit, Healthcare Centre Doña Mercedes, Calle Segovia s/n, 41700 Dos Hermanas, Spain. jorgef.vas.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture associated with physiotherapy for patients with painful shoulder. METHODS: In a multicentre controlled randomized study, participants were recruited with a clinical diagnosis of unilateral subacromial syndrome from six rehabilitation medicine departments belonging to the Public Health System in two Spanish regions. All participants received 15 sessions of physiotherapy during the 3 weeks that the treatment lasted and were randomized to additionally receive, once a week, acupuncture or mock TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). The primary outcome measure was the change in the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) for functional assessment of the shoulder, at 4 weeks after randomization. This study is registered as an International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN28687220. RESULTS: A total of 425 patients were recruited. The mean score (s.d.) on the CMS had increased by 16.6 (15.6) points among the acupuncture group, compared with 10.6 (13.5) points in the control group, and the mean difference between the two groups was statistically significant (6.0 points; 95% CI 3.2, 8.8 points; P < 0.001). By the end of the treatment, 53% of the patients in the acupuncture group had decreased their consumption of analgesics, compared with a corresponding 30% among the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Single-point acupuncture in association with physiotherapy improves shoulder function and alleviates pain, compared with physiotherapy as the sole treatment. This improvement is accompanied by a reduction in the consumption of analgesic medicaments.