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Table 3 Comparison of the individual De Qi characteristics across the study sites between the two study groups

From: Psychophysical responses in patients receiving a mock laser within context of an acupuncture clinical trial: an interoceptive perspective

 

Centre1

Centre2

Centre 3Æ—

Centre 4

    

Acupuncture

M. Laser

Acupuncture

M. Laser

Acupuncture

Acupuncture

M. Laser

Fisher’s Exact Test

De Qi Characteristics

N

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

Χ2 Acup.

p-value

Χ2 Laser

p-value

1. Soreness

22

99.5

13

50

21

87.5

1

4.2

24

91.6

20

83

18

78.3

45.4

.000***

34.6

.000***

2. Aching

22

100

10

38.4

24

95.8

2

8.3

22

91.7

20

83.4

22

91.7

44.6

.000***

40.7

.000***

3. Deep Pressure

22

100

11

46.1

21

87.5

2

8.3

22

100

14

58.3

16

66.7

26.7

.001**

22.1

.000***

4. Heaviness

22

100

9

34.6

19

79.2

3

12.5

24

100

11

45.9

17

70.9

36.6

.000***

25.2

.000***

5. Fullness/Dis.

22

100

13

50

15

62.5

2

8.3

24

100

15

62.6

12

50

48

.000***

18.4

.001**

6. Tingling

22

100

12

46.1

17

70.9

9

37.5

14

58.4

13

52.2

16

66.7

37.9

.000***

12.2

.010*

7. Numbness

21

100

16

61.5

14

58.4

3

12.5

22

91.7

16

66.7

13

54.2

37.7

.000***

14.9

.002**

8. Sharp Pain

19

86.4

10

38.5

20

83.4

3

12.5

3

12.5

15

62.5

20

83.3

48.2

.000***

26.4

.000***

9. Dull Pain

18

79.8

11

45.9

20

83.3

2

8.3

1

4.2

18

75

13

54.2

47.6

.000***

18.8

.001**

10. Warmth

11

50

5

20

15

62.5

9

37.5

0

0

6

25

0

0

32.3

.000***

17.5

.000***

11. Cold

22

100

7

26.8

11

45.8

3

12.5

2

8.3

12

50

5

20

57.9

.000***

4.4

.786

12. Throbbing

8

66.6

3

11.5

13

54.2

5

20.8

1

4.2

5

31.3

0

0

29.2

.000***

6.7

.080

  1. When data related to measurement sessions were pooled, virtually frequency of every single sensory characteristic demonstrated statistically significant across different study sites in each treatment group (acupuncture and mock laser). N = Number of participants reported sensory perception; Χ2 Acup = Fisher Exact test for acupuncture group; Χ2 Laser = Fisher Exact test for mock laser group; Ɨ indicates exclusion of the mock laser group (n = 12) from study centre 3. In all cases the expected frequencies were less than five in each cell and therefore Fisher Exact test was used, * p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001