The Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture on Improving Secretion of Saliva Among Institutional Older Population

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Salivary Gland Diseases
• Interventions: Other: sham auricular acupuncture; Other: True auricular acupuncture

• Registration Number: NCT04507646
• Lead Sponsor: Taipei Medical University

Brief Summary

The study aims to examine the effect of auricular acupuncture on improving oral health in older population. The hypothesis of this study is that older people receiving auricular acupuncture can increase salivary secretion. By identifying the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture can increase salivary secretion; suitable care can be suggested to improve oral health in older population living in long-term institutions.

Detailed Description

The elderly living in long-term institutions are mostly limited to physical dysfunction and highly dependence. In addition, the chronic diseases are affected by taking a variety of drugs, which may easily lead to dry mouth. Thus, providing oral health to increase secretion of saliva is high recommended to those older population. The study is used to examine the effect of auricular acupuncture on improving oral health in older population. The eligible participants are random assign to experimental group receiving auricular acupuncture and control group having ineffective auricular acupuncture. Outcome measures include demographic variables, general health status and secretion of saliva, such as: Subjective dry mouth condition and objective mouth condition. Generalized linear model will be used to examine the effect of auricular acupuncture on improving oral health. By identifying the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture can increase salivary secretion; suitable care can be suggested to improve oral health in older population living in long-term institutions.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-07-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-08-09
• Study First Posted: 2020-08-11
• Study Start: 2020-08-26
• Primary Completion: 2020-09-02
• Study Completion: 2021-04-30
• Status Verified: 2022-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-04-25
• Last Update Posted: 2022-04-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 124

Inclusion Criteria

1. Residents in long-term institutions aged over 65 years old
2. Living in long-term institutions at least six months and above
3. Having normal cognitive functions with Mini-Mental State Examination scores more than 25 scores.

Exclusion Criteria

1. The resident whose acupuncture point has Trauma, eczema or ulcer.
2. Incapable of salivary secretion caused by disease,sush as radiation-induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Sjogren's Syndrome,acute sialadenitis,chronic recurrent sialadenitis,viral salivary gland infection,salivary gland stones.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Sham auricular acupuncture	sham auricular acupuncture	Ineffective auricular acupuncture
True auricular acupuncture	True auricular acupuncture	Effective auricular acupuncture

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Subjective dry mouth health	pre-test and post-test	self-rated salivation
Objective dry mouth health	pre-test and post-test	Salivation measured by Oral moisture meter

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Yilan Yuanshan Hopsital; 🇨🇳 Yilan City, Taiwan