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Electroacupuncture for Chronic Neck Pain

NCT00826215 · Status: UNKNOWN · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 200

Last updated 2009-01-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Objective: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy of electroacupuncture for chronic neck pain. The secondary objective is to document any possible side effects of acupuncture.

Design and Subjects: Prospective, randomised controlled trial comparing the outcomes of treatment and placebo interventions. Subjects are 200 adult patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.

Setting: Outpatient clinics.

Interventions: Patients will be randomly allocated to one of the two groups receiving either: electroacupuncture (real treatment) or placebo (sham laser acupuncture). Each treatment will last for 45 minutes. Each patient will receive a total of nine treatments (three times per week for three weeks).

Main outcome measures:

Primary outcome measures: Neck pain disability index (Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire).

Secondary outcome measures: Maximum pain related to motion on visual analogue scale. Quality of life (SF-36). Use of medication. Sick leave because of neck pain. Treatment-related adverse effects, such as pain, skin irritation, bleeding and dizziness, will also be assessed.

Assessments will be made before treatment, one month, three months and six months after the treatment course. The credibility of placebo treatment will also be assessed.

Expected results: We expect that patients in the treatment group will have significant improvements on primary and secondary outcome measures, when compared with patients in the inert placebo group.

Conclusion: This study will provide credible evidence regarding whether electroacupuncture is effective in reducing chronic neck pain. Patients, healthcare professionals, and government policy makers can make use of this information to improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs

Conditions

  • Neck Pain

Interventions

DEVICE

electroacupuncture

Nine sections of 45 minutes electroacupuncture treatment in three weeks

DEVICE

Sham laser acupuncture

Sham laser acupuncture

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Hong Kong Baptist University

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2007-03-31
Primary Completion
2009-02-28
Completion
2009-02-28

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00826215 on ClinicalTrials.gov