Acupuncture for Symptom Relief in Adults with Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis

NCT06615765 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 64

Last updated 2024-09-27

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two primary forms of inflammatory bowel disease. This condition is characterized by continuous mucosal inflammation that begins in the rectum and extends proximally throughout the colon. Common intestinal symptoms also include rectal bleeding, increased stool frequency, tenesmus, nocturnal bowel movements, and crampy abdominal pain. Acupuncture has been suggested as a potential intervention to alleviate clinical symptoms of UC. This single-center, parallel-group, two-arm, randomized, sham-controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects and safety of acupuncture for UC.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Acupuncture

Acupuncture sessions will use sterile, disposable stainless-steel needles (0.3 mm × 40 mm and 0.3 mm × 75 mm). Each session has two phases: Supine Position: * Needles (0.35 mm × 75 mm) are inserted into ST25, ST15, and SP14, reaching the abdominal muscle layer. * Needles (0.30 mm × 40 mm) are inserted into CV12, CV4, ST36, ST37, and SP6. * Electroacupuncture (EA) at ST25, SP15, and ST36 uses a continuous 5 Hz wave, 0.1 to 2.0 mA. Prone Position: * Needles are inserted into BL32, BL33, and BL35 with precise angles and depths. * EA at BL32, BL33, and BL35 uses a continuous 5 Hz wave, 2.0 to 6.5 mA. Sessions occur three times a week for the first 4 weeks, then twice a week for weeks 5 to 8, each lasting 40 minutes, totaling 20 sessions.

OTHER

Sham acupuncture

Sterile, disposable stainless-steel needles (0.30 mm × 25 mm) will be used. After skin sterilization, needles will be inserted into the same points as the acupuncture group but to a shallow depth of 2 to 3 mm and lightly manipulated for blinding. Paired alligator clips will be attached to the same points, but the sham EA apparatus will have no current output, though it mimics the active EA apparatus in appearance and sound. Sham sessions will follow the same schedule as the acupuncture group: three times a week for the first 4 weeks and twice a week for weeks 5 to 8, each lasting 40 minutes, totaling 20 sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-11-01
Primary Completion
2026-06-30
Completion
2026-10-31

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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 NCT06615765 on ClinicalTrials.gov