Abstract
Bee venom (BV) acupuncture (BVA) involves injecting diluted BV into acupoints and
is used for arthritis, pain, and rheumatoid diseases. The objective of this systematic
review was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of BVA in the treatment
of musculoskeletal pain. Seventeen electronic databases were systematically searched
up to September 2007 with no language restrictions. All randomized clinical trials
(RCTs) of BVA for patients with musculoskeletal pain were considered for inclusion
if they included placebo controls or were controlled against a comparator intervention.
Methodology quality was assessed and, where possible, statistical pooling of data
was performed. A total of 626 possibly relevant articles were identified, of which
11 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Four RCTs that tested the effects of BVA plus
classic acupuncture compared with saline injection plus classic acupuncture were included
in the main meta-analysis. Pain was significantly lower with BVA plus classic acupuncture
than with saline injection plus classic acupuncture (weighted mean difference: 100-mm
visual analog scale, 14.0 mm, 95% CI = 9.5–18.6, P < .001, n = 112; heterogeneity: τ2 = 0, χ2 = 1.92, P = .59, I2 = 0%). Our results provide suggestive evidence for the effectiveness of BVA in treating
musculoskeletal pain. However, the total number of RCTs included in the analysis and
the total sample size were too small to draw definitive conclusions. Future RCTs should
assess larger patient samples for longer treatment periods and include appropriate
controls.
Perspective
Bee venom acupuncture involves injecting diluted BV into acupoints and is used for
arthritis, pain, and rheumatoid diseases. A meta-analysis produced suggestive evidence
for the effectiveness of BVA in musculoskeletal pain management. However, primary
data were scarce. Future RCTs should assess larger patient samples for longer treatment
periods and include appropriate controls.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 28, 2008
Identification
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© 2008 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
