Acupuncture/Moxibustion for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

NCT ID: NCT00945074

Last Updated: 2016-09-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 171 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2017-12-31

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of a symptom management treatment strategy, namely, Acupuncture/Moxibustion (Acu/Moxa) to improve the symptoms associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in persons between the ages of 18 to 70 years.

IBS has been defined as abdominal pain or discomfort in the mid or lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, associated with defecation or a change in bowel patterns and with features of disordered defecation. Current therapies include dietary modification, psychotherapy and pharmacological therapies. Traditional eastern approaches offer a therapeutic approach to symptom management that is subtle, holistic and holds promise as an intervention for IBS.

This study will enroll 171 men and women experiencing IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) defined by the ROME III criteria. Subjects will be randomized (by chance) to one of three experimental intervention conditions: Condition 1,subjects receive Standard Acu/Moxa; Condition 2, subjects receive Individualized Acu/Moxa and Condition 3, subjects receive Sham Acupuncture/Placebo Moxibustion(control group).

Subjects will attend a screening/intake session followed by two treatment sessions per week for 4 weeks, one treatment session per week for 4 weeks, and 2 non-treatment follow-up sessions at weeks 12 and 24. All subjects will be assessed by a diagnostic acupuncturist (blinded to treatment assignments), receive interventions appropriate to their condition assignment by treating acupuncturists, be administered the same instruments, and submit their symptom diaries for data entry and analysis. All subjects will complete a prospective symptom diary for the duration of the study.

Conditions

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Condition 1

Condition 1:

Subjects receive Standard Acu/Moxa (fixed protocol)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Standard Acupuncture/Moxibustion (fixed protocol)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Condition 2: Individualized Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Condition 2:

Subjects receive Individualized Acupuncture/Moxibustion (patient-oriented, based on traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Individualized Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Individualized Tailored Acupuncture/Moxibustion Protocol based on TCM Diagnosis

Condition 3: Control

Condition 3:

Subjects receive Sham Acupuncture/Placebo Moxibustion (control group)

Group Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham/Placebo Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Sham/Placebo Acupuncture/Moxibustion Protocol: Not-Active

Interventions

Standard Acupuncture/Moxibustion (fixed protocol)

Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Individualized Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Individualized Tailored Acupuncture/Moxibustion Protocol based on TCM Diagnosis

Intervention Type: OTHER

Sham/Placebo Acupuncture/Moxibustion

Sham/Placebo Acupuncture/Moxibustion Protocol: Not-Active

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women 18 to 70 years of age who have a prior diagnosis of IBS (6 months or greater)
• Verification/documentation of subject's diagnosis of IBS (ROME III criteria).
• Subjects must be experiencing recurrent abdominal pain/discomfort with two or more of the following, as described in the Rome III criteria: (1) Improvement with defecation; and/or (2) Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool; and/or (3) Onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.
• Four-week prospective daily symptom diary must show: IBS with diarrhea IBS-D), defined by ROME III
• Subjects agree to complete symptom diaries and return completed diaries at all sessions.
• Women of childbearing age must agree to use an acceptable method of contraception.
• Subjects may be on antidepressants(on stable regimen for at least 6 months)

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals who have IBS-Mixed, IBS-Unspecified or IBS-Constipation
• Individuals who have a history of co-existing gastrointestinal, and/or gynecological, and/or urologic pathology (eg., colon cancer, colitis, Crohn's, celiac, endometriosis, prostate cancer) or lactose intolerance
• Individuals experiencing alarm symptoms according to Rome III
• Abdominal surgery, with the exception of uncomplicated removal of the appendix, uterus, or gallbladder more than 6 months prior to study entry.
• Individuals who are currently taking the following medications more than 3 days a week: antibiotics, narcotics, cholestyramine, colchicine, iron supplements, antispasmotics, benzodiazepines
• Individuals currently receiving other types of complementary therapies such as herbs, massage, reiki etc.;Individuals receiving behavioral therapies for IBS; Individuals receiving physical therapy for pelvic pain
• Pregnant women.
• Individuals with an acute medical condition, i.e., pneumonia and/or conditions that requiring acute medical attention.
• Individuals with asthma or smoke allergy
• Individuals receiving acupuncture currently and less than 6 months prior to enrollment and/or history of receiving moxibustion
• Individuals with plans for travel, lifestyle change, or other activity that would preclude attending the planned study sessions or recording daily dietary information.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

New York University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Joyce K. Anastasi

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Joyce K Anastasi, PhD, DrNP, FAAN, LAc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

New York University

Locations

New York University, Division of Special Studies in Symptom Management

New York, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

R01NR010730

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

7833948

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id