Appendix A: Search strategies used Ovid MEDLINE search strategy 1. Radiculopathy/
2. Polyradiculopathy/
3. radiculopath*.mp.
4. radiating*.mp.
5. radicular*.mp.
6. radiculit*.mp.
7. polyradiculopathy*.mp.
8. poly-radiculopath*.mp.
9. neuropath*.mp.
10. NAD grad*.mp.
11. grade III NAD.mp.
12. pain grade III.mp.
13. 1-12/OR
14. exp Cervical Vertebrae/
15. exp Cervical Plexus/
16. Brachial Plexus/
17. cervical*.mp.
18. neck*.mp.
19. c-1*.mp.
20. c-2*.mp.
21. c-3*.mp.
22. c-4*.mp.
23. c-5*.mp.
24. c-6*.mp.
25. c-7*.mp.
26. cervico-gen*.mp.
27. cervicogen*.mp.
28. c-spine*.mp.
29. “c spine”.mp.
30. brachial* adj2 plexus*.mp.
31. cervicobrachial*.mp.
32. cervico-brachial*.mp.
33. 14-32/ OR 34. 13 AND 33
35. exp Randomized Controlled Trial/
36. exp Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/
37. Controlled Clinical Trial/
38. exp Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic/
39. exp Clinical Trial/
40. exp Clinical Trials as Topic/
41. Double-Blind Method/
42. Single-Blind Method/
43. exp Placebos/
44. random*.mp.
45. clinical trial*.mp.
46. double* adj2 blind*.mp.
47. single* adj2 blind*.mp.
48. placebo*.mp.
49. randomized controlled trial*.pt.
50. controlled clinical trial*.pt.
51. clinical trial.pt.
52. 35-51/ OR 53. 34 AND 52
54. Limit 53 NOT (comment or clinical conference or congress or consensus development conference or editorial or letter or guideline or practice guideline or case reports).pt.
55. 54 NOT (Animals/ NOT Humans/)
2
CINAHL search strategy 1. MH “Radiculopathy”
2. MH “Polyradiculopathy”
3. TI radiculopath* or AB radiculopath*
4. TI radiating* or AB radiating*
5. TI radicular* or AB radicular*
6. TI radiculit* or AB radiculit*
7. TI polyradiculopathy* or AB polyradiculopath*
8. TI poly-radiculopathy* or AB poly-radiculopath*
9. TI neuropath* or AB neuropath*
10. TI NAD grad* or AB NAD grad*
11. TI grade iii NAD or AB grade iii NAD 12. TI pain grade iii or AB pain grade iii 13. 1-12/OR
14. MH “Cervical Vertebrae”+
15. MH “Cervical Plexus”+
16. MH “Brachial Plexus”
17. TI cervical* or AB cervical*
18. TI neck* or AB neck*
19. TI c-1* or AB c-1*
20. TI c-2* or AB c-2*
21. TI c-3* or AB c-3*
22. TI c-4* or AB c-4*
23. TI c-5* or AB c-5*
24. TI c-6* or AB c-6*
25. TI c-7* or AB c-7*
26. TI cervicogen* or AB cerivicogen*
27. TI cervico-gen* or AB cerivico-gen*
28. TI c-spine* or AB c-spine*
29. TI “c spine” or AB “c spine”
30. TI (brachial* n2 plexus*) or AB (brachial* n2 plexus*) 31. TI cervicobrachial* or AB cervicobrachial*
32. TI cervico-brachial* or AB cervico-brachial*
33. 14-32/ OR
34. MH “Randomized Controlled Trials”+
35. MH “Clinical Trials”+
36. MH “Double-Blind Studies”
37. MH “Single-Blind Studies”
38. MH “Placebos”
39. TI random* or AB random*
40. TI (clinical* n2 trial*) or AB (clinical* n2 trial*)
41. TI (double n2 blind* or double-blind*) or AB (double n2 blind* or double-blind*) 42. TI (single n2 blind* or single-blind*) or AB (single n2 blind* or single-blind*) 43. TI placebo* or AB placebo*
44. PT randomized controlled trial 45. PT clinical trial
46. 34-45/ OR
47. 13 AND 33 AND 46
48. 47 NOT ((MH “Animals” OR MH Animal Studies’’) NOT MH “Human”))
49. 48 NOT PT (brief item or book review or case study or doctoral dissertation or letter or practice guidelines or proceedings)
4
EMBASE search strategy 1. Radiculopathy/
2. radiculopath*.mp.
3. radiating*.mp.
4. radicular*.mp.
5. radiculit*.mp.
6. polyradiculopathy*.mp.
7. poly-radiculopath*.mp.
8. neuropath*.mp.
9. NAD grad*.mp.
10. grade III NAD.mp.
11. pain grade III.mp.
12. 1-11/OR
13. exp Cervical Vertebra/
14. Cervical Plexus/
15. Brachial Plexus/
16. cervical*.mp.
17. neck*.mp.
18. c-1*.mp.
19. c-2*.mp.
20. c-3*.mp.
21. c-4*.mp.
22. c-5*.mp.
23. c-6*.mp.
24. c-7*.mp.
25. cervico-gen*.mp.
26. cervicogen*.mp.
27. c-spine*.mp.
28. “c spine”.mp.
29. brachial* adj2 plexus*.mp.
30. cervicobrachial*.mp.
31. cervico-brachial*.mp.
32. 13-31/ OR
33. Cervicobrachial Neuralgia/
34. exp Randomized Controlled Trial/
35. exp Randomized Controlled Trial (Topic)/
36. Controlled Clinical Trial/
37. exp Controlled Clinical Trial (Topic)/
38. exp Clinical Trial/
39. exp Clinical Trial (Topic)/
40. Randomization/
41. Double Blind Procedure/
42. Single Blind Procedure/
43. Placebo/
44. random*.mp.
45. clinical trial*.mp.
46. double* adj2 blind*.mp.
47. single* adj2 blind*.mp.
48. placebo*.mp.
49. randomized controlled trial*.pt.
50. controlled clinical trial*.pt.
51. clinical trial.pt.
52. 34-51/ OR
53. (12 AND 32) OR 33 54. 52 AND 53
55. Limit 54 NOT (comment or clinical conference or congress or consensus development conference or editorial or letter or guideline or practice guideline).pt.
56. Limit 55 NOT (Animal/ NOT Human/)
6
Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials search strategy
#1 MeSH descriptor: [Radiculopathy]
#2 MeSH descriptor: [Polyradiculopathy]
#3 MeSH descriptor: [Cervical Vertebrae] explode all trees
#4 MeSH descriptor: [Cervical Plexus] explode all trees
#5 MeSH descriptor: [Brachial Plexus]
#6 MeSH descriptor: [Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic] explode all trees
#7 MeSH descriptor: [Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic] explode all trees
#8 MeSH descriptor: [Clinical Trials as Topic] explode all trees
#9 MeSH descriptor: [Clinical Trials as Topic] explode all trees
#10 MeSH descriptor: [Double-Blind Method]
#11 MeSH descriptor: [Single-Blind Method]
#12 MeSH descriptor: [Placebos] explode all trees
#13 ((randomized* or randomised* or (clinical* near/2 trial) or (double near/2 blind*) or double-blind* or (single near/2 blind*) or single-blind* or placebo*)):ti,ab
#14 #1 or #2
#15 #3 or #4 or #5
#16 #6 or #7 or #8 or #9 or #10 or #11 or #12 or #13
#17 (neck* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#18 (cervical* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#19 (cervicogen* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#20 (cervico-gen* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#21 (brachial plexus near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#22 (c-spine* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#23 (cervicobrachial* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#24 (cervico-brachial* near/5 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly- radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*)):ti,ab
#25 (cervical* or neck* or cervicogen* or cervico-gen* or c-spine* or (brachial* near/2 plexus*) or cervicobrachial* or cervico-brachial*):ti,ab
#26 #14 AND #25
#27 (radiculopath* or radiating* or radicular* or radiculit* or poly-radiculopath* or polyradiculopath* or neuropath*):ti,ab
#28 #15 AND #27
#29 #26 or #28 or #17 or #18 or #19 or #20 or #21 or #22 or #23 or #24
#30 #16 AND #29
8
PsychINFO search strategy 1. radiculopath*.mp.
2. radiating*.mp.
3. radicular*.mp.
4. radiculit*.mp.
5. polyradiculopathy*.mp.
6. poly-radiculopath*.mp.
7. neuropath*.mp.
8. NAD grad*.mp.
9. grade III NAD.mp.
10. pain grade III.mp.
11. 1-10/OR 12. cervical*.mp.
13. neck*.mp.
14. c-1*.mp.
15. c-2*.mp.
16. c-3*.mp.
17. c-4*.mp.
18. c-5*.mp.
19. c-6*.mp.
20. c-7*.mp.
21. cervico-gen*.mp.
22. cervicogen*.mp.
23. c-spine*.mp.
24. “c spine”.mp.
25. brachial* adj2 plexus*.mp.
26. cervicobrachial*.mp.
27. cervico-brachial*.mp.
28. 12-27/ OR
29. Randomized Controlled Trials/
30. Randomized Clinical Trials/
31. Random Sampling/
32. Clinical Trials/
33. Placebo/
34. random*.mp.
35. clinical trial*.mp.
36. double* adj2 blind*.mp.
37. single* adj2 blind*.mp.
38. placebo*.mp.
39. randomized controlled trial*.pt.
40. controlled clinical trial*.pt.
41. clinical trial.pt.
42. 29-41/ OR
43. 11 AND 28 AND 42
44. Limit 43 NOT (dissertation or book).pt.
10
Appendix B: Potentially relevant articles in another language
1. Zhou ZL, Su GH, Zheng BZ, Zuo YZ, Wei FL. [Randomized controlled trials of needle knife therapy combined with rotation traction manipulation for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy]. Zhongguo Gu Shang. 2016 Sep 25;29(9):820-824. Chinese.
doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-0034.2016.09.010. PMID: 29282952.
2. Jing FQ, Wang XM, Niu XL, Zhou Y. [Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined with Fire Dragon Moxibustion for Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy of Kidney-Deficiency- Cold Type]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2016 Aug 25;41(4):343-6. Chinese. PMID: 29071931.
3. Li Y, Wu Y, Fan X, Sun Y. [Clinical research of shoulder-arm pain of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with acupuncture based on the axillary nerve distribution].
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2016 Feb;36(2):135-8. Chinese. PMID: 27348908.
4. Wang S, Sheng F, Pan Y, Xu F, Wang Z, Cheng L. [Clinical study of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with massage therapy combined with Magnetic sticking therapy at the auricular points and the cost comparison]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2015 Aug;35(8):773- 7. Chinese. PMID: 26571889.
5. Haładaj R, Pingot J, Pingot M. Ocena postępów rehabilitacji u pacjentów z zespołami korzeniowymi kręgosłupa szyjnego po zastosowaniu laseroterapii wysokoenergetycznej HILT i wyciągu Saunders´a [Assessment of rehabilitation progress in patients with cervical radicular pain syndrome after application of high intensity laser therapy - HILT and Saunders traction device]. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2015 Jul;39(229):23-30. Polish.
PMID: 26277174.
6. Yang L, Lei ZJ, Jiang JL, Zhang LM, He CQ. [The therapeutic effect of Neurac training on patients with cervical radiculopathy: a randomized control trial]. Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2014 Jan;45(1):129-33. Chinese. PMID: 24527599.
7. Wan BJ, Huang W, Zhang YX, Zhang HS. [Influence of electroacupuncture with penetration needling method on comprehensive pain score in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2013 May;33(5):407-10. Chinese. PMID:
23885612.
8. Zhou Y, Huang Y, Yi G, Zhou B, Wu G, Feng Z, Wei H, Lu Q. [Acupuncture and moxibustion based on meridian differentiation for cervical spondylosis radiculopathy:a randomized controlled trial]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2016 Jun 12;36(6):587-590. Chinese. doi:
10.13703/j.0255-2930.2016.06.008. PMID: 29231452.
9. Jiang CB, Wang J, Zheng ZX, Hou JS, Ma L, Sun T. [Efficacy of cervical fixed-point traction manipulation for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy: a randomized controlled trial].
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2012 Jan;10(1):54-8. Chinese. doi: 10.3736/jcim20120109.
PMID: 22237275.
10.Fan DH, Liu G, Wang TC, Huang F, Wang XY, Zeng HW, Zhou FX, Yao GX, Chen XL, Xu RD, Li Y. [Observation on short and long-term effects of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with abdominal acupuncture plus Long's bone-setting manipulation]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2010 Nov;30(11):909-12. Chinese. PMID: 21246846.
11.Zhi LX, Feng CW, Tu CY. [Controlled randomized trial on therapeutic effects of acupotomy-injection combined with Feng's spinal manipulation (FSM) for cervical
spondylotic radiculopathy]. Zhongguo Gu Shang. 2008 Jun;21(6):421-4. Chinese. PMID:
19108423.
12.Jiang CB, Wang J, Zheng ZX, Hou JS, Ma L, Sun T. [Efficacy of cervical fixed-point traction manipulation for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy: a randomized controlled trial].
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2012 Jan;10(1):54-8. Chinese. doi: 10.3736/jcim20120109.
PMID: 22237275.
13.Zhou ZL, Su GH, Zheng BZ, Zuo YZ, Wei FL. [Randomized controlled trials of needle knife therapy combined with rotation traction manipulation for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy]. Zhongguo Gu Shang. 2016 Sep 25;29(9):820-824. Chinese.
doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-0034.2016.09.010. PMID: 29282952.
14.Gao SM, Guo H, Zhao XF, Huang LL, Zhu LL, Wang ZP. [Clinical study on curing the cervical spondylotic radiculopathy with the methods of Blade needle closed loosing and
reduction with traction at the same time]. Zhongguo Gu Shang. 2012 Jan;25(1):14-7.
Chinese. PMID: 22489515.
15.Seidel A randomised controlled double-blind trial comparing dosed laser therapy on acupuncture points and acupuncture for chronic cervical syndrome [German]
16.Bao Y, Zou W. [Randomized controlled study of cervical rehabilitation training combined with acupuncture for cervical spondylosis radiculopathy]. Journal of clinical acupuncture and moxibustion. 2015; 31(5),18-20.
17.Sun YJ, Wu Y, Zhang JF, Li Y, Wang Y. Therapeutic observation of LU's heat-producing needling (Shao Shan Huo) for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Shanghai journal of acupuncture and moxibustion. 2015; 34(3), 234-236
18.Wang Y, Wei H, Zhou R. Randomized controlled study on multi-method evaluation of the clinical value of supine cervical vertebra traction with neck flexion in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. 2016; 31(1), 37-42
19.Leonelli C, Zucchini E, Messora A, Sartini S, Fontana L, Parazza S. Neurodynamic
technique benefits in patients with chronic cervical radiculopathy: a pilot study [ Italian].
2013 Nov; 15(4), 19-28
20.Shi H, Huang Q, Yao WP, He L, Zhang CD, Yang ZM. [Randomized
controlled trial on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy of wind-cold-damp type treated with acupuncture and thunder-fire moxibustion]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Dec 25;46(12):1036-42. Chinese. doi: 10.13702/j.1000- 0607.20210006. PMID: 34970881.
12
