Table 2 Primary and secondary outcomes in the intervention group and the control group after 6 and 12 weeks^a

DASH, mean (SD)^b

   Baseline

30.3 (16.6)

30.8 (11.9)

0.5 (-6.7-7.7)

NS

   After 6 wk

23.4 (12.6)

27.5 (15.5)

4.1 (-2.8-11.1)

NS

   After 12 wk

18.4 (12.3)

26.1 (13.8)

7.7 (1.2-14.2)

<0.05

0.60

VAS-P1, mean (SD)^c

   Baseline

31.9 (24.3)

35.2 (25.7)

3.3 (-9.1-15.7)

NS

   After 6 wk

29.0 (18.4)

37.8 (17.9)

8.8 (-0.2-17.8)

NS

   After 12 wk

17.2 (19.5)

31.0 (21.0)

13.8 (2.6-25.0)

<0.05

0.69

VAS-P2, mean (SD)^c

   Baseline

41.3 (19.7)

43.4 (17.0)

2.0 (-7.1-11.1)

NS

   After 6 wk

32.9 (19.3)

40.0 (20.7)

6.7 (-3.6-17.0)

NS

   After 12 weeks

22.5 (16.4)

33.2 (23.3)

10.2 (0.7-19.7)

<0.05

0.54

VAS-P3, mean (SD)^c

   Baseline

54.9 (21.9)

59.5 (18.2)

4.6 (-14.6-5.4)

NS

   After 6 wk

41.0 (25.1)

56.6 (28.3)

15.6 (2.3-28.8)

<0.05

   After 12 wk

34.0 (21.9)

47.8 (27.3)

13.8 (0.8-28.4)

<0.05

0.57

GPE, number of patients (%)

RR (95% CI)

   Improved

After 6 wk

16/33 (49%)

5/30 (17%)

<0.05

2.9 (1.2-7.0)

After 12 wk

18/33 (55%)

4/28 (14%)

<0.05

3.8 (1.5-10.0)

   Number of muscles with active trigger points, mean (SD)

Baseline

7.4 (3.7)

6.1 (3.5)

1.3 (-0.5-3.1)

NS

After 6 wk

6.2 (3.5)

6.8 (3.6)

0.6 (-1.2-2.4)

NS

After 12 wk

4.8 (3.0)

7.5 (3.2)

2.7 (1.2-4.2)

<0.05

0.89

   Number of muscles with latent trigger points, mean (SD)

Baseline

4.2 (2.7)

5.9 (3.0)

1.7 (-0.3-3.1)

<0.05

After 6 wk

3.8 (2.1)

4.8 (2.8)

1.0 (-2.3-0.2)

NS

After 12 wk

4.7 (2.3)

4.4 (2.3)

0.4 (-0.7-1.5)

NS

0.13