Effect of acupuncture in pain relief and functional improvement in ankylosing spondylitis: a randomized controlled trial

Completed

Conditions: Pain relief in patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis
Musculoskeletal Diseases

Registration Number: ISRCTN02971192

Lead Sponsor: niversity of São Paulo (Brazil)

Brief Summary: Not available

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 10

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age range between 20 and 60 years
2. Painful complaints in the axial line
3. Patients who have not received any Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) or analgesics for three months prior to the inclusion into this trial
4. Those who are referred to the Rheumatology Service, University of São Paulo, University Hospital, School of Medicine with diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis according to the New York 15 and European 16 criteria for spondyloarthropathies
5. A mean baseline Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score >= 4 for pain

Exclusion Criteria

1. Severe psychiatric disease
2. Sensory or motor neurological deficits
3. Fibromyalgia
4. Previous treatment with acupuncture
5. Unable to visit the hospital for treatment

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The following were assessed before and immediately after the interventions: <br>1. Patient's assessment of spinal pain (0-10 cm VAS). <br>2. Patient's global assessment of disease-activity and function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index [BASFI]). The BASDAI measures the severity of fatigue, spinal and peripheral joint pain, localized tenderness, and morning stiffness, assessed on a 10 cm VAS. The BASFI measures the functional status of AS patients, and is also assessed on a 10 cm VAS.<br>3. Acute-phase reactants (C-Reactive Protein, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate [ESR], Immunoglobulin A [IgA]) <br>4. Number of analgesic pills per week

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Subjective assessment of pain, performed before and immediately after the interventions, using a 7-point Likert scale, where 1 = much worse, 2 = moderately worse, 3 = slightly worse, 4 = no effect, 5 = small improvement, 6 = moderate improvement, 7 = great improvement.