Acupuncture for Children with Functional Constipation

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Functional Constipation (FC)

• Registration Number: NCT06836362
• Lead Sponsor: Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Brief Summary

Background of the study:

Functional constipation (FC) is common in children and poses a significant burden to patients, their families and the healthcare system. Pharmacological treatment mainly consists of oral osmotic laxatives. However, poor adherence to oral laxatives is known to be a common problem and patients often remain symptomatic despite pharmacological treatment. Many parents seek help in the form of complementary and integrative medicine. Acupuncture has been shown to relieve symptoms in adults with FC. However, published studies in children with FC are scarce and have important limitations.

Objective of the study:

To evaluate the feasibility, safety and potential efficacy of acupuncture in children with FC. The results of this study will be used to design a future randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Study design:

A prospective, non-randomized, multicenter, open-label pilot study.

Intervention: Children will receive 8 acupuncture sessions during 10 weeks (1 session per week during 6 weeks, followed by 1 session every other week during 4 weeks). Concurrent pharmacological treatment with polyethylene glycol ≥ 0.2 g/kg/day will be maintained as initiated prior to participation in the study.

Study population:

18 children (6-18 years old) with FC according to the Rome IV criteria.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Study First Submitted: 2025-02-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-02-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-18
• Study Start: 2025-02-20
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-25
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-25
• Primary Completion: 2026-05
• Study Completion: 2026-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 18

Inclusion Criteria

• In order to be eligible to participate in this study, a subject must meet all of the following criteria:

• 6-18 years of age

• meet the modified Rome IV criteria for FC (defined as meeting at least two of the following criteria during the 2-week run-in period despite receiving treatment with PEG with a minimum dose of 0.2 g/kg/day):

  1. Two or fewer spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) per week (an SBM is defined as a bowel movement that occurs in the absence of laxative, enema, or suppository use in the preceding 24 hours)
  2. History of excessive stool retention
  3. History of painful or hard bowel movements
  4. History of large-diameter stools
  5. Presence of a large fecal mass in the rectum
  6. At least 1 episode/week of incontinence after the acquisition of toileting skills
  7. History of large-diameter stools that may obstruct the toilet in toilet-trained children

• Insufficient symptom management despite at least three months of medical management (including education, non-pharmacological advice and laxatives) by a physician. Insufficient symptom management is defined as the presence of at least one of the Rome IV criteria for FC despite medical management by a physician.

• are treated with PEG with a minimum dose of 0.2 g/kg/day for a minimum of 1 month prior to inclusion in the study

• Written informed consent obtained from parents or guardians and all children ≥12 years.

Exclusion Criteria

• A potential subject who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• children with FC not treated with PEG with a minimum dose of 0.2g/kg/day during at least one month at the time of potential inclusion.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Organic causes of constipation; e.g. celiac disease, pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction, hypothyroidism, spina bifida, anorectal malformations, or Hirschsprung disease.
• Significant chronic health conditions requiring specialty care (e.g. cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, hematopoietic, renal, endocrine, or metabolic diseases, sickle cell disease, cerebral palsy) that could potentially impact the child's ability to participate or confound the results of the study.
• Unintentional weight loss greater than or equal to 5% of their body weight within the last 3 months.
• Gastrointestinal blood loss.
• Recurrent or unexplained fevers.
• Pregnancy.
• Smoking.
• History of abdominal surgery involving the luminal gastrointestinal tract, except appendectomy or hernia repairs.
• Concomitant use of drugs that are known to affect gastrointestinal motility.
• Established diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders.
• Major psychiatric disorders (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression) or a history of abuse.
• Severe needle-related anxiety.
• Rash or active local infection over an acupuncture point.
• Immunocompromised children (specifically inadequately regulated diabetes mellitus, active staphylococcal-related skin conditions)
• Clotting disorders or a recent history of thrombocytopenia.
• Children who previously received acupuncture for constipation.
• Children who currently participate in another clinical trial.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Primary outcome measure: feasibility	From enrollment until the end of the intervention period (at 10 weeks)	The primary endpoint is feasibility: a future RCT using this same intervention protocol will be deemed feasible if the pilot study renders an attrition rate ≥70% (i.e. ≥70% of patients completing the pilot study while attending ≥75% of scheduled acupuncture sessions).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Secondary outcome measure: Feasibility	From enrollment to the end of intervention (week 10) and follow-up (week 14)	Secondary endpoints to determine feasibility include consent rate, patient and parent satisfaction with acupuncture treatment (measured at t=6, t=10 and t=14 \[5-point-Likert scale\]) and assessment of required personnel capacity for a future RCT
Secondary Outcome Measure: Safety (assessment of adverse events)	From first acupuncture treatment until last treatment (week 10) and after follow-up (week 14)	The occurrence of adverse events (AE) is assessed at each research nurse visit (t=3, t=6, t=10, t=14). The occurrence of the following pre-determined adverse events are assessed: needle-related pain, local redness/irritation, hematomas, headache, fainting/syncope, sedation, neuropathy. For each patient-reported AE, severity (mild, moderate, or severe) and relation to acupuncture treatment (unrelated or possibly, probably, or definitely related) are determined.
Secondary Outcome Measure: Efficacy	From start of intervention until end of intervention (at week 10 and at follow-up (at week 14)	The endpoint for efficacy is treatment success, based on the Rome IV criteria (Table 1): a child who fulfils the Rome IV criteria for FC prior to enrolment into the trial and no longer fulfils the Rome IV criteria at the end of the trial period is considered successfully treated. The endpoints, including quality of life and school absence, are based on a previously published core outcome set and include: * Defecation frequency (number of bowel movements/week, excluding fecal incontinence episodes); * Stool consistency (Bristol Stool Scale); * Painful defecation (yes/no); * Fecal incontinence frequency (episodes/week); * Withholding behavior (yes/no); * Abdominal pain (yes/no, VAS score); * Number of spontaneous bowel movements (\>24h after escape medication); * Time between acupuncture and defecation; * Number of bowel movements \<24h after acupuncture; * Frequency of use of escape medication; * Time between escape medication and defecation; * Number of bowel movements \<24h after escape med.