Table 2

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics for the 68 participants

Definition
Mean (SD)

Age (years)
59.2 (10.2)
Body mass index
24.0 (3.2)
Gender

     % Male
37
Religion

     % Buddhist
56
     % Christian
10
Marital states

     % Married
82
     % Divorced/Widowed/Separated
15
Education

     % Junior high or below
41
     % University or above
34
Pain in visual analogue scale
38.7 (21.5)
WOMAC Scoresa

     Pain
22.2 (19.2)
     Stiffness
28.1 (24.9)
     Physical functioning
22.6 (18.0)
Flaccidity of the lower back and knees

     % Mild
54
     % Moderate
32
     % Severe
13
Aversion to cold

     % Mild
73
     % Moderate
12
     % Severe
15
WHOQOL-BREF Scoresb

     Physiological domain
12.9 (2.4)
     Psychological domain
13.0 (2.2)
     Social domain
13.5 (1.9)
     Environment domain
13.5 (1.7)

a WOMAC refers to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index.

b WHOQOL – BREF refers to the World Health Organization Quality of Life – brief version.

Lai et al. Chinese Medicine 2007 2:4   doi:10.1186/1749-8546-2-4