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Auricular Acupressure for Hemodialysis Patients With Insomnia

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Insomnia Chronic
Interventions
Other: sham auricular acupressure therapy
Other: auricular acupressure therapy
Registration Number
NCT03015766
Lead Sponsor
Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Brief Summary

Auricular acupressure therapy (AAT) has been applied in MHD patients with insomnia in recent years and yielded favorable results. However, the effect and safety of AAT for insomnia in MHD population still lacks high quality evidence. A randomized controlled clinical trial is planned to evaluate the effect and safety of AAT in MHD patients with insomnia.

Detailed Description

Insomnia, a worldwide health problem, is much more frequently complained in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and impairs their quality of life and long term outcome. Hypnotic sedative agents are often reluctantly prescribed with doses mounting up. Patients are concerned about drug dependence and drug-related adverse effects. As a non-drug therapy, auricular acupressure therapy (AAT) is attractive to both patients and practitioners and is widely used to treat many conditions in China. The investigators had been applying AAT for MHD patients with insomnia in recent years and yielded favorable results. However, the effect and safety of AAT for insomnia in MHD population still lacks high quality evidence. Therefore, the investigators aimed to perform a randomized controlled clinical trial in MHD patients with insomnia to evaluate the effect and safety of AAT.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
130
Inclusion Criteria
  • Aged 18~75 years
  • On regular dialysis ( 2 - 3 sessions weekly, 4 hours each session, total weekly dialysis hours ≥ 10 hours) for more than 3 months (but less than 10 years)
  • Insomnia according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
  • Global score of PSQI > 7
  • Informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Presence of co-morbidities including cancer, congestive heart failure, connective tissue disease and hematologic diseases;
  • Inadequately dialyzed, indicating by urea clearance index (KT/V) < 1.20;
  • Presence of severe physical symptoms such as bone pain, itchy skin, sleep apnea and restless legs which are obviously causative for insomnia; and weary condition caused by severe anemia (hemoglobin<60g/L) or malnutrition (serum albumin<30g/L).
  • Infections of external ears or malformed ears.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
sham auricular acupressure therapysham auricular acupressure therapyParticipants in the control group (SAA group) will receive auricular acupressure on five Helix points (HX 5-9), which were clearly remote from the inner ear area. These points have no evidence for insomnia management.
Auricular acupressure therapyauricular acupressure therapyParticipants in the treatment group will received AAT on five active acupoints including Acup.1. Shen Men (Spiritual Gate, TF4), Acup.2. Jiao Gan (Sympathetic autonomic, AH6a), Acup.3. Xin (Heart, CO15), Acup.4. Pi Zhi Xia (Subcortex, AT4), Acup.5. Nei Fen Mi (Endocrine, CO18)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
clinical response rateat 8 weeks from baseline

Response is defined as a reduction of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) global score by 3 points and more according to literature review

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
change of PSQI scores at the first followupchange from baseline PSQI scores at 12 weeks

PSQI scores will include PSQI global score, and scores of each domain (i.e. sleep duration, sleep disturbance, sleep latency, day dysfunction, sleep efficiency, overall sleep quality and sleep medication).

change of PSQI scores at the end of treatmentchange from baseline PSQI scores at 8 weeks

PSQI scores will include PSQI global score, and scores of each domain (i.e. sleep duration, sleep disturbance, sleep latency, day dysfunction, sleep efficiency, overall sleep quality and sleep medication).

change of PSQI scores at the second followupchange from baseline PSQI scores at 16 weeks

PSQI scores will include PSQI global score, and scores of each domain (i.e. sleep duration, sleep disturbance, sleep latency, day dysfunction, sleep efficiency, overall sleep quality and sleep medication).

weekly dose of hypnoticsDay 0 (baseline), at 8 weeks (the end of treatment), at 12 weeks (the first followup),at 16 weeks (the second followup) and at 20 weeks (the third followup)

If participants required hypnotic agents during the study because of unbearable sleep disorders, they will be allowed to take hypnotics initiating from the minimum dose and encouraged to complete the trial. The weekly dose of hypnotic agents will be recorded.

adverse eventsthrough study completion, an average of 20 weeks

Adverse events throughout the treatment and follow-up periods, regardless of its relevance to the interventions, will be documented and dealt with by appropriate measures.

change of PSQI scores at the third followupchange from baseline PSQI scores at 20 weeks

PSQI scores will include PSQI global score, and scores of each domain (i.e. sleep duration, sleep disturbance, sleep latency, day dysfunction, sleep efficiency, overall sleep quality and sleep medication).

Trial Locations

Locations (6)

Guangzhou HEMC (Higher Education Mega Center) Hospital

🇨🇳

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine

🇨🇳

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

🇨🇳

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Guangzhou Charity Hospital

🇨🇳

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Wuyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

🇨🇳

Jiangsu Sheng, Guangdong, China

Shenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

🇨🇳

Shebu, Guangdong, China

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