Clinical Study of Acupuncture Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Osteoarthritis of the Knees; Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee; Osteoarthritis

• Registration Number: NCT06805188
• Lead Sponsor: Wu zenan

Brief Summary

The main question of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) through a single-blind, randomized controlled trial divided into two groups. Patients in both groups received a total of 24 acupuncture treatments over an 8-week period. The differences in knee NRS score, WOMAC index, walking test, mental health assessment and other indicators between the acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group before and after treatment were compared to provide high-quality evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating KOA.

Detailed Description

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common clinical bone and joint disease.There is a lack of effective specific treatment for KOA.Acupuncture is increasingly being studied for the treatment of KOA, but its efficacy and safety are still controversial.This study aims to provide high-quality evidence by evaluating the results of studies on acupuncture for KOA.

A single-blind, randomized controlled trial design was used in this study, in which the generation and preservation of the randomized sequence was done by an independent follow-up researcher through R software. The random allocation method used was block group randomization to ensure a balanced allocation. At the same time, opaque sealed envelopes containing grouping information were prepared to ensure that the grouping process was concealed. The principle of blinding was strictly implemented throughout the study, and the outcome evaluator was blinded until the end of the trial, when participants remained unknown about their grouping information. The study population consisted of 350 patients with KOA who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the following 2 groups:(1) Acupuncture Group (AG) (2) False Acupuncture Group (FAG).Patients in both groups received a total of 24 acupuncture treatments over an 8-week period. The sham acupuncture group utilized a Takakura acupuncture simulation device to mimic acupuncture, where the needles would not penetrate the skin, and the duration of needle retention, treatment points, frequency of treatments, duration of treatment, and follow-up period were kept the same as that of the real acupuncture group. The primary outcome index was the Numerical rating scale (NRS), and secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC),40m Fast-Paced Walking Test(40m FPWT), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ). Any adverse events during treatment will be recorded.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-01
• Study First Submitted: 2025-01-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-01-29
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-01-29
• Study First Posted: 2025-02-03
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-03
• Study Start: 2025-02-15
• Primary Completion: 2026-01-05
• Study Completion: 2026-01-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 350

Inclusion Criteria

• aged 18-70 years old, regardless of gender
• meeting the diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) of KOA
• patients with an NRS score of at least greater than 4 for knee pain, and the pain has lasted for at least 3 months
• diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or x-ray in the last 3 years
• volunteering to participate in this trial and signing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients with a history of knee surgery
• Patients who had received any physical therapy related to osteoarthritis of the knee, such as corticosteroid injections, acupuncture, or moxibustion, within the past 3 months
• Patients who had a disease that could lead to pain in the knee, such as a fracture, a synovial cyst, or rheumatoid arthritis
• Patients who had a history of knee surgery. or any significant neurological injury
• Prior serious mental illness, organ failure, or malignancy
• Planned knee surgery within the next 3 months
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Numerical rating scale	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	The NRS is a commonly used pain assessment tool〔42〕, especially for joint pain, such as knee pain. The scale consists of 11 numbers, ranging from 0 to 10, each representing a different level of pain, and the patient chooses the number that best represents his or her current level of pain according to his or her own pain perception.The NRS score is accurate and concise, and was once regarded as the gold standard for pain assessment by the American Pain Society.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
WOMAC index	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	According to the 2020 guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, four types of indexes are recommended to reflect symptoms and signs, quality of life, structural changes in the joints, and long-term regression. Among them, WOMAC is often chosen as the main outcome index of osteoarthritis index based on the study period, which mainly includes five parts: pain, symptoms, ability to perform activities of daily living, motor function, and quality of life, and the scores can be divided into three grades, and the higher WOMAC index indicates the more serious KOA.
40m FPWT	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	The 40m FPWT for the knee is a test that evaluates knee function, lower extremity muscle strength and walking ability〔44〕. The tester uses a stopwatch or timer to accurately record the total time it takes the subject to complete a 40-meter walk. The shorter the time, the better the subject's knee function, lower limb muscle strength and walking ability.
RMDQ	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	The RMDQ is a questionnaire used to assess functional impairment due to low back pain. The scale consists of 24 items with scores ranging from 0-24, with higher scores indicating more significant functional impairme
Depressive condition	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	Clinically significant depressive symptoms were assessed using the HAMD-17.The HAMD-17 consists of 17 entries, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.
Anxious situation	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	The patients' anxiety symptoms were assessed using the HAMA, which consists of 14 entries, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety.
Insomnia Severity Index	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	The ISI score was used to assess the sleep quality of the patients.The ISI is an assessment of the status of self-perceived insomnia symptoms in the last two weeks.There are seven items with a total score of 0-28.The higher the score, the more severe the insomnia.
Pain self-efficacy questionnaire	For participants who completed baseline enrollment, efficacy observations were made at treatment enrollment, week 4, week 8, week 16, and week 24.	PSEQ assesses the impact of pain on patients' daily life, which consists of 10 items scored from 0-60, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; 🇨🇳 Nanchang, Jiangxi, China