Electroacupuncture for the Prevention of Recurrent Lower Urinary Tract Infection in Women

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate if electroacupuncture works to prevent recurrent lower urinary tract infections in female patients. It will also learn about the safety of electroacupuncture. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does electroacupuncture reduce the attacks of acute recurrent urinary tract infections in women?
2. What medical problems do participants have when taking electroacupuncture?

Researchers will compare electroacupuncture to sham electroacupuncture to assess if electroacupuncture works to prevent recurrent lower urinary tract infections.

Participants will:

1. Take electroacupuncture or sham electroacupuncture for 30 minutes per session over a 6-month period. During the first month, treatment was administered 3 times weekly (once every other day); the second month, 2 times weekly (once every 2-3 days); and the 3-6 month, once monthly.
2. Visit the hospital at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th months for follow-up evaluations.
3. Keep a diary of their symptoms and the number of times they use an antibiotic.

Conditions

• Urinary Tract Infections
• Recurrent
• Electroacupuncture
• Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Electroacupuncture

In the electroacupuncture group, Hwato brand disposable sterile acupuncture needles (Suzhou Medical Appliance Factory) with specifications of φ0.30×25mm, φ0.30×40mm, and φ0.30×75mm are used. The electroacupuncture apparatus is Hwato SDZ-V. Ciliao (BL32), Zhongliao (BL33), Shenshu (BL23), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) as main acupoints, with adjunct points selected based on syndrome differentiation. After needle insertion, electrodes of the electroacupuncture device are connected horizontally to bilateral Ciliao, Zhongliao, and Sanyinjiao respectively. Continuous wave at a frequency of 2 Hz is applied, with current intensity gradually increased from 0 to a well-tolerated level (1-5 mA for Ciliao and Zhongliao; 0.5-2 mA for Sanyinjiao). Take electroacupuncture for 30 minutes per session over a 6-month period. During the first month, treatment is administered 3 times weekly (once every other day); the second month, 2 times weekly (once every 2-3 days); and the 3-6 month, once monthly.

PROCEDURE

Sham electroacupuncture

In the sham electroacupuncture group, Hwato brand disposable sterile acupuncture needles (Suzhou Medical Appliance Factory) of φ0.30×25mm and φ0.30×40mm are used. The electroacupuncture apparatus is Hwato SDZ-V. Control points corresponding to Ciliao (BL32), Zhongliao (BL33), Shenshu (BL23), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) as main acupoints, with with adjunct control points selected by syndrome differentiation. After needle insertion, electrodes of the electroacupuncture device are connected horizontally to bilateral Ciliao, Zhongliao, and Sanyinjiao respectively. Continuous wave at a frequency of 2 Hz is applied, with current intensity 0.1-0.3 mA to produce slight tingling tolerated by the patient. Stimulation is delivered for 30 seconds then turned off. Each session lasts 30 minutes over 6-month period. During the first month, treatment is administered 3 times weekly (once every other day); the second month, 2 times weekly (once every 2-3 days); and the 3-6 month, once monthly.

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

  collaborator OTHER

• Yanjun Zhang, Baoyan Liu

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-30

Primary Completion

2027-12-31

Completion

2029-03-31

Countries

• China

Study Locations