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Manual Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea

Primary Purpose

Primary Dysmenorrhea

Status
Unknown status
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
China
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Verum acupuncture
Sham acupuncture
Usual care
Sponsored by
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Primary Dysmenorrhea focused on measuring Acupuncture, Primary Dysmenorrhea, Randomized Controlled Trial, Placebo Effect

Eligibility Criteria

15 Years - 40 Years (Child, Adult)FemaleDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Diagnosed with PD according to the primary dysmenorrhea established by Canadian Institute of Obstetrics and gynecology in 2005;
  2. Aged from 15 to 40 years, have not given birth, and have a history of regular menstrual cycles (28 days±7 days);
  3. Pain of intensity is moderate varying from 40 to 80 on the visual analogue scale (VAS), and lasting at least 6 months;
  4. Able to complete the baseline dysmenorrhea diary;
  5. Able to sign an informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Secondary dysmenorrhea caused by endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, myomas of uterus or other gynecological problems confirmed by type-B ultrasound exam by gynecologists;
  2. Have a history of pelvic or abdominal surgery, or applying oral contraceptives or intrauterine devices;
  3. Combined with uncontrolled diagnosed psychiatric disorders such as severe anxiety and depression, or severe systemic diseases affecting the implementation of treatment programs;
  4. Taking analgesics such as NSAIDs or having received any other treatment for PD three months prior to enrollment;
  5. Women in lactation, pregnant women, or those with plans to get pregnant during any period of the trial;
  6. Have experience of acupuncture;
  7. Illiterate, or patients unable to read and understand scales.

Sites / Locations

  • Department of Neurology of Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm 3

Arm Type

Experimental

Sham Comparator

Placebo Comparator

Arm Label

Verum acupuncture

Sham acupuncture

Usual care

Arm Description

Participants will receive verum acupuncture plus usual care. Participants will receive acupuncture treatment start from the 5th or 7th day before the estimated first day of menstrual cycle, and for each cycle, participants will receive one session of treatment each day for 5 consecutive days, totally be treated with 15 sessions.Verum needles will be inserted into the skin and manipulated manually until deqi occurs. The needles are retained for 30 min in each session. During the treatment, the acupuncturist inquires the patient about deqi sensations and manipulates the needles to maintain the intensity of deqi. Participants will receive the same usual care as those in the usual care group.

Participants will receive sham acupuncture plus usual care. The Streitberger placebo needle will be placed at non-acupuncture points which are distant from the meridian parts and not located on the same neuromuscular segments as the prescribed points used in the VA group, so as to minimize any therapeutic and segmental effects. The same acupuncture schedule as that in the verum acupuncture group will be applied. The needles are retained for 30 min in each session. During the treatment, the acupuncturist inquires the patient about deqi sensations and pretends to manipulate the needles but deqi is not sought.Participants will receive the same usual care as those in the usual care group.

Participants will not receive acupuncture treatment besides health education as a control group.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Change of Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Change of McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Change of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Change of the dose of intake of acute medication in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.

Full Information

First Posted
May 5, 2016
Last Updated
October 23, 2019
Sponsor
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Collaborators
Hubei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, University Hospital of Huang Jia Lake Campus, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT02783534
Brief Title
Manual Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea
Official Title
Manual Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture and Usual Care for the Prevention of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
October 2019
Overall Recruitment Status
Unknown status
Study Start Date
August 2, 2016 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
July 1, 2021 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
July 1, 2021 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Collaborators
Hubei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, University Hospital of Huang Jia Lake Campus, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common complaint in menstruating women. Although nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is an effective treatment, there are concerns about serious adverse events. Complementary therapies, including acupuncture, are commonly used for PD. Acupuncture has a low risk of adverse effects, while the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating PD is inconclusive. Deqi and psychological factors are core concepts in acupuncture theory, but they have been largely neglected in primary dysmenorrhea clinical reports. The objective of this trail is to assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in the prevention of PD and investigate what factors will affect the efficacy of acupuncture.The results of this trial will significantly add to the current body of evidence on the role of acupuncture for PD. If found to be effective and safe, acupuncture will be a valuable treatment option in the prevention of PD. In additional, results from this trial will identify what factors will affect the efficacy of acupuncture.
Detailed Description
This is a multicenter, single blind, randomized controlled, three-arm, large-scale clinical trial. We will recruit 300 PD women who meet diagnostic criteria for PD established in 2005 from Canada gynaecology and obstetrics association. Exclusion criteria include illiteracy, breast feeding women, pregnancy women, serious systemic disease, mental patient, and acupuncture experience. Eligible women will be randomly assigned to verum acupuncture group, sham acupuncture group and usual care group. Participants in the verum acupuncture group will receive traditional acupuncture treatment and will be treated with ture needles, While Participants in the sham acupuncture group will be treated with sham acupuncture with non-insertive needles at non-acupuncture points. Acupuncture treatment will start from the 5th or 7th day before the estimated first day of menstrual cycle, and for each cycle, participants will receive one session of treatment each day for 5 consecutive days (a treatment course), totally for 15 sessions and 3 treatment courses. Participants in the usual care group will not receive treatment besides health education as a control group. This trail will be composed of a one-menstrual cycle baseline, three-menstrual cycle treatment (cycle 1 to 3), and three-menstrual cycle follow-up period (cycle 4-6). The primary outcome measure is the change of Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline. Secondary outcome measures include Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and intake of acute medication. Psychological outcome measures are Beck Depression Rating Scale (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Doctor-Patient Relationship Scale (PDRQ), the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ), and Expectations for interventions assessed by acupuncture expectancy scale (AES). Deqi sensation will be measured by MGH Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS).

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Primary Dysmenorrhea
Keywords
Acupuncture, Primary Dysmenorrhea, Randomized Controlled Trial, Placebo Effect

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
ParticipantOutcomes Assessor
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
300 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Verum acupuncture
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Participants will receive verum acupuncture plus usual care. Participants will receive acupuncture treatment start from the 5th or 7th day before the estimated first day of menstrual cycle, and for each cycle, participants will receive one session of treatment each day for 5 consecutive days, totally be treated with 15 sessions.Verum needles will be inserted into the skin and manipulated manually until deqi occurs. The needles are retained for 30 min in each session. During the treatment, the acupuncturist inquires the patient about deqi sensations and manipulates the needles to maintain the intensity of deqi. Participants will receive the same usual care as those in the usual care group.
Arm Title
Sham acupuncture
Arm Type
Sham Comparator
Arm Description
Participants will receive sham acupuncture plus usual care. The Streitberger placebo needle will be placed at non-acupuncture points which are distant from the meridian parts and not located on the same neuromuscular segments as the prescribed points used in the VA group, so as to minimize any therapeutic and segmental effects. The same acupuncture schedule as that in the verum acupuncture group will be applied. The needles are retained for 30 min in each session. During the treatment, the acupuncturist inquires the patient about deqi sensations and pretends to manipulate the needles but deqi is not sought.Participants will receive the same usual care as those in the usual care group.
Arm Title
Usual care
Arm Type
Placebo Comparator
Arm Description
Participants will not receive acupuncture treatment besides health education as a control group.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
Verum acupuncture
Intervention Description
Participants allocated to VA group will receive traditional acupuncture treatment on the "Guanyuan"(RN 4), bilateral "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6), bilateral "Zigong"(EX-CA1), bilateral "Xuehai"(SP 10). Additional points will be chosen according to TCM syndrome differentiation constitution of patients. If patients with deficient syndrome, bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) will be included. If patients with sufficiency syndrome, bilateral "Diji" (SP 8) will be included. The NO.16 special type of acupuncture needle (0.30 x 30 mm) produced by German asia-med company will be applied.The needles will be inserted into the skin of acupuncture points and manipulated manually by using the techniques such as lifting, thrusting, and twirling, until the internal compound sensation known as deqi.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
Sham acupuncture
Intervention Description
We use a non-insertive sham control produced by Asia-med Company in Germany-the streitberger placebo-needle. Sham points are described as follows: 1) 5 inch lateral to the seventh thoracic spine; 2) 5 inch lateral to the eighth thoracic spine; 3) 5 inch lateral to the ninth thoracic spine; and 4) 5 inch lateral to the tenth thoracic spine.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Usual care
Intervention Description
Patients in usual care group will not receive acupuncture treatment but enhance usual care by providing them with detailed information via propaganda booklets or the internet in the form of health education.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Change of Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth month after randomization.
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Change of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth month after randomization.
Title
Change of McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth month after randomization.
Title
Change of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth month after randomization.
Title
Change of the dose of intake of acute medication in a menstrual cycle compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth month after randomization.
Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures:
Title
Chinese version of Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale
Time Frame
From date of the first session of treatment until date of the fifteenth session of treatment, assessed up to 75 days.
Title
Change in Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI- II) compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), at the third month after randomization, and at the sixth month after randomization.
Title
Change in Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) compared to baseline.
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), at the third month after randomization, and at the sixth month after randomization.
Title
60-item NEO Personality Inventory-Short Form (NEO-FFI)
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization) only once.
Title
Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire (PDRQ-9).
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), at the third month after randomization, and at the sixth month after randomization.
Title
Acupuncture expectancy scale
Time Frame
Before the first session of treatment, at the end of the third session of treatment (on day 3), and at the end of the fifteenth session of treatment (up to 75 days).
Title
Chinese medicine constitution questionnaire
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), at the third month after randomization, and at the sixth month after randomization.
Title
Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ-10).
Time Frame
At baseline (one menstrual cycle/one month before randomization), at the third month after randomization, and at the sixth month after randomization.

10. Eligibility

Sex
Female
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
15 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
40 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosed with PD according to the primary dysmenorrhea established by Canadian Institute of Obstetrics and gynecology in 2005; Aged from 15 to 40 years, have not given birth, and have a history of regular menstrual cycles (28 days±7 days); Pain of intensity is moderate varying from 40 to 80 on the visual analogue scale (VAS), and lasting at least 6 months; Able to complete the baseline dysmenorrhea diary; Able to sign an informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Secondary dysmenorrhea caused by endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, myomas of uterus or other gynecological problems confirmed by type-B ultrasound exam by gynecologists; Have a history of pelvic or abdominal surgery, or applying oral contraceptives or intrauterine devices; Combined with uncontrolled diagnosed psychiatric disorders such as severe anxiety and depression, or severe systemic diseases affecting the implementation of treatment programs; Taking analgesics such as NSAIDs or having received any other treatment for PD three months prior to enrollment; Women in lactation, pregnant women, or those with plans to get pregnant during any period of the trial; Have experience of acupuncture; Illiterate, or patients unable to read and understand scales.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Shabei Xu, Doctor
Phone
86-13554178768
Email
xushabei@126.com
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Lingling Yu, Doctor
Phone
86-13545862185
Email
527679774@qq.com
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Wei Wang, Doctor
Organizational Affiliation
Tongji Hospital
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Department of Neurology of Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
City
Wuhan
State/Province
Hubei
Country
China
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Wei Wang, Doctor
Phone
86-027-8366-3648
Email
tianyalinghu@126.com
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Shabei Xu, Doctor
Phone
86-13554178768
Email
xushabei@126.com

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
32993752
Citation
Yu L, Liu S, Zheng C, Liu W, Wang H, Liang F, Lu W, Xu S, Wang W. Manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for the prevention of primary dysmenorrhea (PD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2020 Sep 29;21(1):818. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04720-5.
Results Reference
derived

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Manual Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea

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