J Korean Med Sci.  2018 Jun;33(24):e164. 10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e164.

Infectious Adverse Events Following Acupuncture: Clinical Progress and Microbiological Etiology

• Kim YJ
• Kim SH
• Lee HJ
• Kim WY

• KMID: 2413718
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e164

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We investigated the clinical progress and bacteriological characteristics of infectious adverse events (AEs) following acupuncture and compared patient characteristics between serious and non-serious outcome groups.
METHODS
A retrospective observational study was conducted in 1,174 patients with infectious complications associated with acupuncture at the emergency department (ED) in a tertiary hospital in Korea between 2010 and 2014. Serious outcome was defined as development of septic shock, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) or attaining permanent morbidity.
RESULTS
Forty-eight patients had certain causality and cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis and osteomyelitis were common in order. Among them, 9 patients (18.8%) were categorized into serious outcome group, and they showed devastating outcomes such as septic shock (n = 2), ICU admission (n = 4), and permanent sequelae (n = 5). The serious group had delayed admission to the ED after acupuncture (30.0 [4.0-55.0] vs. 3.0 [1.0-10.0] days, P = 0.023). Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism. The patients in the serious group required longer treatment duration (139.0 [49.0-183.5] vs. 14.0 [7.0-34.0] days, P 0.001) as well as more operation with local (44.4% vs. 10.3%, P = 0.031) or general anaesthesia (33.3% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.017).
CONCLUSION
The infectious AEs after acupuncture may cause serious outcomes. Patients and primary physicians should be aware of the risk of infectious complications and make efforts to prevent them.

Keyword

Acupuncture; Complications; Infection

MeSH Terms

Acupuncture*
Cellulitis
Emergency Service, Hospital
Fasciitis, Necrotizing
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Korea
Observational Study
Osteomyelitis
Retrospective Studies
Shock, Septic
Staphylococcus aureus
Tertiary Care Centers