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Auricular Acupuncture Therapy Administered by Village Doctors Improves Sleep Quality in Elderly Patients With Comorbid Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension

NCT07554235 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 320

Last updated 2026-04-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study aims to apply traditional auricular press-needle acupuncture to treat sleep disturbances in elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) with comorbid diabetes mellitus and hypertension in rural areas of China. Given the complex bidirectional relationship between diabetes mellitus with hypertension and sleep disturbances, this cluster randomized trial is designed to test whether a village doctor-led intervention model supported by telemedicine can improve sleep disturbances in patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus and hypertension, compared to sham auricular press-needle acupuncture. Participants will be recruited by local village doctors according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The protocol is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine theory for core point selection: Heart, Liver, Kidney, Shenmen, and Forehead area, along with optimized medication regimens supported by remote cardiovascular specialists. The investigators will evaluate the overall improvement in sleep disturbances using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at the end of the 6-week treatment period, and assess sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue at 12 weeks.

Conditions

  • Cardiometabolic Diseases
  • Insomnia Disorder

Interventions

DEVICE

Auricular Acupuncture Therapy

Point Selection: Heart, Liver, Kidney, Shenmen, Forehead.① The patient sits, and the ear is disinfected with alcohol. ② The practitioner's hands and the local point area are routinely disinfected. Use Huatuo brand imported sterile disposable press needles (with release paper, Medical Device Registration No.: Su Xie Zhu Zhun 20162200966), specification 0.22×1.5mm. ③ After inserting the needle body into the aforementioned points, remove the release paper and gently press the adhesive tape to ensure tight adhesion. After needling, the village doctor presses the embedded needle site to induce a "deqi" sensation.

DEVICE

Sham Auricular Acupuncture Group

Point Selection: The same locations on the ear as the experimental group. Procedure: Use press needles identical in appearance to the treatment group but without needle tips, applied to the point locations. The operation procedure, disinfection, replacement frequency, and pressing instructions are completely consistent with the experimental group. Avoid inducing a "deqi" sensation during the procedure. Key point: The patient is also instructed to press the points.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Jiangsu Taizhou People's Hospital

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-04-01
Primary Completion
2026-08-01
Completion
2026-12-01

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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 NCT07554235 on ClinicalTrials.gov