Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations
Abstract Background To evaluate safety of acupuncture treatment by Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs), a prospective, practice-based survey on adverse events (AEs) associated with acupuncture was conducted. Methods From July 2016 to October 2017, KMDs were invited to participate in an online survey. Fre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-022-03782-z |
| _version_ | 1797983949615529984 |
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| author | Jiyoon Won Jun-Hwan Lee Heejung Bang Hyangsook Lee |
| author_facet | Jiyoon Won Jun-Hwan Lee Heejung Bang Hyangsook Lee |
| author_sort | Jiyoon Won |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background To evaluate safety of acupuncture treatment by Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs), a prospective, practice-based survey on adverse events (AEs) associated with acupuncture was conducted. Methods From July 2016 to October 2017, KMDs were invited to participate in an online survey. Frequency was calculated as the number of AEs per 10,000 treatments; severity was assessed with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Grading (Severity) Scale; and causality was evaluated using the World Health Organisation-Uppsala Monitoring Centre system for standardised case causality assessment. Associations between AE occurrence and KMDs’ type of practice/clinical experience and patient age/gender/current medication(s) were analysed. Results Data on 37,490 acupuncture treatments were collected from 222 KMDs. At least one AE was reported from 4,518 acupuncture treatments, giving a frequency rate of 1,205 per 10,000 acupuncture treatments; this increased to 4,768 treatments when administrative problems related to defective devices or medical negligence were added, for a rate of 1,272 per 10,000 acupuncture treatments. Commonly reported AEs were bleeding, needle site pain, and bruising. Approximately 72.9% of AEs/administrative problems were assessed as they certainly occurred by acupuncture treatment in causality assessment. Most AEs/administrative problems were considered mild in severity and two life-threatening AEs were resolved with no sequelae. Compared to males, female patients were more likely to experience AEs and KMDs’ clinical experience was not associated with reported AE occurrence. Conclusions Although acupuncture-associated AEs occur commonly, they are largely transient and mild. Acupuncture performed by qualified KMDs may serve as a reliable medical treatment with acceptable safety profiles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:54:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5641c4d23a4473383c623786b1434b5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-7671 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:54:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5641c4d23a4473383c623786b1434b52022-12-22T04:39:05ZengBMCBMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies2662-76712022-11-012211810.1186/s12906-022-03782-zSafety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultationsJiyoon Won0Jun-Hwan Lee1Heejung Bang2Hyangsook Lee3KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental MedicineKM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental MedicineDivision of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of CaliforniaAcupuncture & Meridian Science Research Centre, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee UniversityAbstract Background To evaluate safety of acupuncture treatment by Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs), a prospective, practice-based survey on adverse events (AEs) associated with acupuncture was conducted. Methods From July 2016 to October 2017, KMDs were invited to participate in an online survey. Frequency was calculated as the number of AEs per 10,000 treatments; severity was assessed with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Grading (Severity) Scale; and causality was evaluated using the World Health Organisation-Uppsala Monitoring Centre system for standardised case causality assessment. Associations between AE occurrence and KMDs’ type of practice/clinical experience and patient age/gender/current medication(s) were analysed. Results Data on 37,490 acupuncture treatments were collected from 222 KMDs. At least one AE was reported from 4,518 acupuncture treatments, giving a frequency rate of 1,205 per 10,000 acupuncture treatments; this increased to 4,768 treatments when administrative problems related to defective devices or medical negligence were added, for a rate of 1,272 per 10,000 acupuncture treatments. Commonly reported AEs were bleeding, needle site pain, and bruising. Approximately 72.9% of AEs/administrative problems were assessed as they certainly occurred by acupuncture treatment in causality assessment. Most AEs/administrative problems were considered mild in severity and two life-threatening AEs were resolved with no sequelae. Compared to males, female patients were more likely to experience AEs and KMDs’ clinical experience was not associated with reported AE occurrence. Conclusions Although acupuncture-associated AEs occur commonly, they are largely transient and mild. Acupuncture performed by qualified KMDs may serve as a reliable medical treatment with acceptable safety profiles.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-022-03782-zAcupunctureAdverse eventsCausalityFrequencySeverityKorean Medicine Doctor |
| spellingShingle | Jiyoon Won Jun-Hwan Lee Heejung Bang Hyangsook Lee Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Acupuncture Adverse events Causality Frequency Severity Korean Medicine Doctor |
| title | Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations |
| title_full | Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations |
| title_fullStr | Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations |
| title_short | Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations |
| title_sort | safety of acupuncture by korean medicine doctors a prospective practice based survey of 37 490 consultations |
| topic | Acupuncture Adverse events Causality Frequency Severity Korean Medicine Doctor |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-022-03782-z |
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