Research Article

Effect of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for Middle-Aged Obesity: A Multicentre, Randomised, Sham-Controlled Trial

Table 6

Reduction in waistline from baseline in the male group and the female group based on the intention-to-treat principle.

Time pointReduction from baseline (cm) in the male group (n = 51)
Adjusted mean (95% confidence interval),
Reduction from baseline (cm) in the female group (n = 165)
Adjusted mean (95% confidence interval),
ACE groupSham ACE groupDifferenceACE groupSham ACE groupDifference

4 weeks−1.64 (−2.76, −0.53), 0.004−1.58 (−2.86, −0.29), 0.016−0.06 (−1.84, 1.71), 0.943−1.81 (−2.56, −1.06), <0.001−1.64 (−2.35, −0.93), <0.001−0.17 (−1.19, 0.86), 0.749
8 weeks−3.47 (−4.83, −2.12), <0.001−2.86 (−4.47, −1.25), <0.001−0.61 (−2.84, 1.62), 0.589−4.20 (−5.12, −3.27), <0.001−2.73 (−3.62, −1.84), <0.001−1.46 (−2.72, −0.21), 0.022
12 weeks−5.25 (−7.22, −3.27), <0.001−3.87 (−6.16, −1.58), <0.001−1.38 (−4.52, 1.76), 0.388−5.81 (−6.75, −4.86), <0.001−3.65 (−4.48, −2.82), <0.001−2.16 (−3.36, −0.95), <0.001
16 weeks−6.85 (−8.58, −5.13), <0.001−3.65 (−5.60, −1.70), <0.001−3.21 (−5.81, −0.60), 0.016−8.44 (−9.47, −7.42), <0.001−3.86 (−4.78, −2.95), <0.001−4.58 (−5.92, −3.25), <0.001
28 weeks−6.50 (−8.34, −4.66), <0.001−3.62 (−5.77, −1.48), <0.001−2.88 (−5.74, −0.01), 0.049−8.22 (−9.27, −7.18), <0.001−3.92 (−4.85, −2.99), <0.001−4.30 (−5.69, −2.92), <0.001
40 weeks−6.51 (−8.54, −4.49), <0.001−3.14 (−5.41, −0.86), 0.007−3.38 (−6.52, −0.24), 0.035−8.20 (−9.27, −7.13), <0.001−3.31 (−4.28, −2.34), <0.001−4.89 (−6.31, −3.48), <0.001
Overall b−5.04 (−9.05, −1.03), 0.015−3.12 (−5.51, −0.73), 0.011−1.92 (−4.14, 0.31), 0.091−6.11 (−10.98, −1.25), 0.015−3.19 (−4.94, −1.43), <0.001−2.93 (−4.02, −1.83), <0.001

Change from baseline: after value (posttreatment)–before value (baseline). value for interaction between sex and group, and interaction among sex, group, and visit time was 0.64 and 0.87, respectively. Adjusted for baseline, age, married status, drinking and smoking status, duration of disease, and family history.