Needle safety.

Joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of aromatase inhibitors. In this trial, women with a worst pain score of at least 3 on the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) were randomized to real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or a "waitlist." Acupuncture was done at 2 weekly sessions x 6 weeks and then once weekly x 6 more weeks. The last two arms were just as bad as they sound, with some receiving shallow needle placements at “non-acupuncture” sites and some receiving nothing at all. After 6 weeks, participants receiving real acupuncture had a decrease in max pain by 2 points compared to 1 point for both sham acupuncture and waitlisting. While statistically significant, the clinical value of a 1 point absolute difference is less clear. TBL: Acupuncture for joint pain in women receiving aromatase inhibitors offers a small reduction in worst pain, so don't feel weird supporting women who pursue it. | Hershman, JAMA 2018