Objective: To develop a clinical practice guideline to guide the treatment of low back pain by acupuncture.
Methods: An integrative approach of systematic review of literature, clinical evidence classification, expert opinion surveying, and consensus establishing via a Delphi program was utilized during the developing process. Both evidence-based practice standards and the personalized features of acupuncture were taken into considerations.
Results: Based on clinical evidence and expert opinions, we developed a clinical practice guideline for the treatment of low back pain with acupuncture. These recommendations have a wide coverage spanning from Western Medicine diagnosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation, to acupuncture treatment procedures, as well as post treatment care for rehabilitation and follow-ups. The recommendations for acupuncture practice included treatment principles, therapeutic regimens, and operational procedures. The levels of evidence and strength of recommendation were rated for each procedure of practice.
Conclusion: A clinical practice guideline for acupuncture treating low back pain was developed based on contemporary clinical evidence and experts' consensus to provide best currently agreeable practice guideline for domestic and international stakeholders.
Keywords: Acupuncture; Diagnosi; Low back pain; Practice guideline; Rehabilitation; Syndrome differentiation.