Acs-Tens Treatment for Faecal Incontinence: a RCT With Sham-controls

NCT ID: NCT04749316

Last Updated: 2021-02-11

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

53 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-08-01

Study Completion Date

2020-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study assess the effectiveness on AcuTENS on the treatment of faecal incontinence

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Faecal incontinence (FI) is the involuntary loss of flatus, liquid or solid stool per rectum. Owing to the emotional stress and the psychosocial stigma surrounding this problem, it is under-reported by patients.

Conservative management of FI involves lifestyle, medical adjustments and pelvic floor sphincter training. If conservative treatment fails, surgical options such as sphincter repair, sacral nerve stimulation (SNM) and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) can be reformed. SNM and PTNS involve application of nervous electrical stimulation (neuromodulation) with significant improvement of symptoms. The positions of electrical stimuli are also very similar to acupuncture sites (acupoints) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of faecal incontinence. However, disadvantage of these methods are; 1) they are invasive and may cause complications such as pain, infection and bleeding and; 2) the devices for each SNM device can be costly.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is non-invasive, which is commonly used for the management of pain. It works via the application of electrical stimuli using adhesive gel pads. They are cheap to run and are widely accepted by patients. Hence application of TENS over acupoints (Acu-TENS) may provide a novel non-invasive treatment.

A randomised controlled trial will be carried out on patients with FI. Demographic data, past medical history, in particular any structural or neurological causes of FI, will be recorded. Ano-rectal manometry and endoanal ultrasound will be performed before and after treatment. Acu-TENS machine will be applied to standardised acupuncture points. Assessment of FI via Cleveland Clinic Florida Faecal Incontinence Score and Quality of life measurements via the validated questionnaires Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQL) (Chinese version) questionnaires will be carried out at baseline, and followup intervals.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Faecal Incontinence Faecal Incontinence With Faecal Urgency Neuromodulation Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation Acupuncture Points

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Acutens treatment for faecal incontinence vs sham
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors
participant will not be told on which treatment arm are in. Outcome assessors will be blinded on participants' treatment arm.

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

AcuTENS

Patients treated with TENS over Acupuncture points for faecal incontinence

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

AcuTENS

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Stimulation of acupuncture points with TENS machine

Sham

Sham treatment arm with no electrical stimulations over acupuncture points

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

AcuTENS

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Stimulation of acupuncture points with TENS machine

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

AcuTENS

Stimulation of acupuncture points with TENS machine

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Patients aged 18 years or above
* Acupuncture naïve patients
* Faecal incontinence with solid or liquid stool causing disruption of lifestyle
* Psychological stability and suitability as determined by the investigator
* Failed conservative or surgical treatment
* Intact peripheral neurosensory nervous system as determined by clinical investigation
* Able to read and write

Exclusion Criteria

* Major internal and/or external sphincter defect (\>120 degrees of sphincter circumference)
* Faecal impaction
* Presence of full thickness rectal prolapse
* Patients who have contact allergies to adhesive pads
* Implanted pacemaker, defibrillator, cardiopathy
* Pregnancy or intention to become pregnant
* Neurogenic or congenital disorders resulting in faecal incontinence (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, uncontrolled diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Spina Bifida)
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Chronic diarrhoea uncontrolled by medication or diet
* Previous rectal surgery (rectopexy or rectal resection)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Health and Medical Research Fund

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Tony Wing Chung Mak

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Tony WC Mak, MD, FRCS

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Shatin, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Hong Kong

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

HMRF13140421

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.