{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T23:25:38Z","timestamp":1783639538271,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]],"date-time":"2021-06-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1623715200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,26]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>To compare prescribed opioid use and invasive surgical interventions between patients using acupuncture and those using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)\/physical therapy (PT).<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Retrospective observational study of administrative claims.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Large commercial insurance plan.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Subjects<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>52 346 each treated with either acupuncture or NSAIDs\/PT.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Users of acupuncture and NSAIDs\/PT were identified from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017. The first date of each service was defined as the index date. Acupuncture patients were 1:1 propensity score matched to the NSAIDs\/PT group on baseline characteristics. Outcomes included opioid use, subsequent invasive surgical procedures, healthcare utilization such as hospitalizations or emergency department (ED) visits, and costs. These were assessed in the 12-month period before index date (baseline) and 12-month period following index date (follow-up) using difference-in-difference (DID) analysis. Results for opioid use were stratified by those with and without baseline opioid use.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The acupuncture group had fewer patients initiating opioids post-index both among those with (49.2% vs 56.5%, P\u2009&amp;lt;\u2009.001) and without (15.9% vs 22.6%, P\u2009&amp;lt;\u2009.001) baseline opioid use. There was a small increase in invasive surgical procedures with acupuncture (3.1% vs 2.8%, P\u2009=\u2009.006). A reduction in ED visits was observed with acupuncture (DID \u22124.6% for all-cause; \u22123.3% for pain-related, all P\u2009&amp;lt;\u2009.001). Acupuncture was associated with higher total medical and pharmacy costs (DID +$1331 per patient, P\u2009=\u2009.006).<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Acupuncture showed a modest effect in reducing opioid use and ED visits. More research on acupuncture\u2019s place in emergency care, pain relief, and comparison to other types of non-opioid treatment is needed.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/pm\/pnab187","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,12]],"date-time":"2021-06-12T03:22:27Z","timestamp":1623468147000},"page":"2754-2762","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Do Acupuncture Services Reduce Subsequent Utilization of Opioids and Surgical Interventions Compared to Noninvasive Therapies among Patients with Pain Conditions?"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8687-6115","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Timothy","family":"Pham","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"HealthCore, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qinli","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HealthCore, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abiy","family":"Agiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HealthCore, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julie","family":"Bukowiec","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of Medical Policy and Technology Assessment, Anthem Inc., Latham, New York, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Terry","family":"Flannery","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of Medical Policy and Technology Assessment, Anthem Inc., Latham, New York, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]]},"reference":[{"issue":"36","key":"2021120107503180800_pnab187-B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1001","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6736a2","article-title":"Prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain among adults: United 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