Comparison of three therapeutic methods of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, embedding acupuncture, and drug therapy on interleukin-6 and pain levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Study Summary

72 patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis were randomized to receive thread embedding acupuncture (TEA), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), or conventional drug therapy with ibuprofen. The primary outcomes of interest were pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale ([VAS]) for pain intensity and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Secondary outcomes included Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for functional disability functional disability (WOMAC index) and World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) for health-related quality of life .(WHOQOL-BREF). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. Overall, the results of the study revealed that TEA produced the greatest and most sustained improvements in pain, functional disability, and quality of life compared with TENS and drug therapy. TEA also demonstrated the largest increase in serum IL-6, which the authors proposed may reflect immunomodulatory and tissue repair mechanisms rather than a harmful inflammatory response. These findings suggest that TEA is a promising integrative treatment for knee osteoarthritis with superior clinical benefits over TENS and conventional pharmacotherapy.