Intradermal Acupuncture and Self-rehabilitation Program in Patients With Severe Bell's Palsy

NCT ID: NCT06778473

Last Updated: 2025-04-30

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

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

552 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-03-24

Study Completion Date

2029-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study aims to assess the effect of intradermal acupuncture(IA) and guided self-rehabilitation management program(GRMP) (either single or combined) for patients with severe Bell's Palsy.

Detailed Description

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After confirming the details of the trial process and signing an informed consent, all participants will be randomly divided into the following four groups: Active IA+GRMP, Active IA+ HE, sham IA+ GRMP, sham IA + HE. They will receive active or sham IA and GRMP or HE until complete recovery or completion of follow up (a duration of 24 weeks).Follow-ups will be done in 4-week, 8-week, 12-week,16-week, 20-week, and 24-week.

Conditions

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Bell Palsy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Two by two factorial design
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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"Active intradermal acupuncture" plus "Guided self-rehabilitation management program"

Active IA will be retained in the acupoints for 72h before being removed, then rested for one day.Participants receive Active IA until full recovery or completion of follow up (a duration of 24 weeks).

Participants will be taught and corrected self-rehabilitation techniques by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation(PMR) therapists at regular outpatient clinic visit (twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then weekly until full recovery or follow-up completed) and practice at-home therapy and diarize accomplished exercises.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Active Intradermal Acupuncture

Intervention Type DEVICE

Depending on acupoints' location, φ0.20\*1.5mm or φ0.20\*1.2mm AIA will be selected. Insert the Active IA vertically into the acupoint and retain it in the skin.

Active IA will be retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of needle retention, participants will be required to press the Active IA 4 times a day for approximately 1 minute each time, with as much stimulation as the patient can tolerate, at intervals of approximately 4 hours.

Guided self-rehabilitation management program

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-rehabilitation techniques are taught in individual sessions of about 40 minutes at each outpatient clinic visit, as detailed below: Analysis of the problem, Education, Massage, Facial muscles exercise,Synkinesis or spasticity management, Homework. Participants are requested to perform daily facial muscle exercises as prescribed by the therapist and keep the written diary on a daily basis. The therapists retrieve and evaluate the diaries at each visit.

"Active intradermal acupuncture" plus "Health education"

Active IA will be retained in the acupoints for 72h before being removed, then rested for one day.Participants receive Active IA until full recovery or completion of follow up (a duration of 24 weeks).

Participants will be taught health education content about the disease by PMR therapists at regular outpatient clinic visit (twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then weekly until full recovery or follow-up completed) and have no homework and keep no daily logs.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Active Intradermal Acupuncture

Intervention Type DEVICE

Depending on acupoints' location, φ0.20\*1.5mm or φ0.20\*1.2mm AIA will be selected. Insert the Active IA vertically into the acupoint and retain it in the skin.

Active IA will be retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of needle retention, participants will be required to press the Active IA 4 times a day for approximately 1 minute each time, with as much stimulation as the patient can tolerate, at intervals of approximately 4 hours.

Health Education

Intervention Type OTHER

Health education knowledge about the disease such as etiology, pathology,clinical symptoms of Bell's palsy, Bell's palsy diagnosis and role of medical tests;medication education;complications and sequelae,etc

"Sham intradermal acupuncture" plus "Guided self-rehabilitation management program"

Sham IA will be retained in the acupoints for 72h before being removed, then rested for one day.Participants receive Sham IA until full recovery or completion of follow up (a duration of 24 weeks).

Participants will be taught and corrected self-rehabilitation techniques by PMR therapists at regular outpatient clinic visit (twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then weekly until full recovery or follow-up completed) and practice at-home therapy and diarize accomplished exercises.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Sham Intradermal Acupuncture

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham intradermal acupuncture will be attached to the acupoints and retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of sham needle retention,pressing times and frequencies are identical to those in the active intradermal acupuncture group.

Guided self-rehabilitation management program

Intervention Type OTHER

Self-rehabilitation techniques are taught in individual sessions of about 40 minutes at each outpatient clinic visit, as detailed below: Analysis of the problem, Education, Massage, Facial muscles exercise,Synkinesis or spasticity management, Homework. Participants are requested to perform daily facial muscle exercises as prescribed by the therapist and keep the written diary on a daily basis. The therapists retrieve and evaluate the diaries at each visit.

"Sham intradermal acupuncture" plus "Health education"

Sham IA will be retained in the acupoints for 72h before being removed, then rested for one day.Participants receive Sham IA until full recovery or completion of follow up (a duration of 24 weeks).

Participants will be taught health education content about the disease by PMR therapists at regular outpatient clinic visit (twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then weekly until full recovery or follow-up completed) and have no homework and keep no daily logs.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham Intradermal Acupuncture

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham intradermal acupuncture will be attached to the acupoints and retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of sham needle retention,pressing times and frequencies are identical to those in the active intradermal acupuncture group.

Health Education

Intervention Type OTHER

Health education knowledge about the disease such as etiology, pathology,clinical symptoms of Bell's palsy, Bell's palsy diagnosis and role of medical tests;medication education;complications and sequelae,etc

Interventions

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Active Intradermal Acupuncture

Depending on acupoints' location, φ0.20\*1.5mm or φ0.20\*1.2mm AIA will be selected. Insert the Active IA vertically into the acupoint and retain it in the skin.

Active IA will be retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of needle retention, participants will be required to press the Active IA 4 times a day for approximately 1 minute each time, with as much stimulation as the patient can tolerate, at intervals of approximately 4 hours.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham Intradermal Acupuncture

Sham intradermal acupuncture will be attached to the acupoints and retained for 72 hours with a day's rest after removal. During the period of sham needle retention,pressing times and frequencies are identical to those in the active intradermal acupuncture group.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Guided self-rehabilitation management program

Self-rehabilitation techniques are taught in individual sessions of about 40 minutes at each outpatient clinic visit, as detailed below: Analysis of the problem, Education, Massage, Facial muscles exercise,Synkinesis or spasticity management, Homework. Participants are requested to perform daily facial muscle exercises as prescribed by the therapist and keep the written diary on a daily basis. The therapists retrieve and evaluate the diaries at each visit.

Intervention Type OTHER

Health Education

Health education knowledge about the disease such as etiology, pathology,clinical symptoms of Bell's palsy, Bell's palsy diagnosis and role of medical tests;medication education;complications and sequelae,etc

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy according to "Clinical Practice Guideline: Bell's Palsy" published by AAO-HNS in 2013;
* First onset of Bell's palsy with only one side affected;
* On the 10th day after the onset of palsy, HBGS score ranging from grade IV to VI;
* According to the latest Chinese Guidelines for Bell's Palsy, within 72 hours of symptom onset for Bell's Palsy, oraling prednisolone 30mg qd for 5 days, followed by tapering to zero in decrements of 5 mg per day;
* Adults aged 18 years of age or older (no limitation on gender).

Exclusion Criteria

* Facial paralysis caused by acoustic neuroma, otitis media, mastoiditis, mumps, Hunter's syndrome, cranial base meningitis, intracranial metastasis of cancer or multiple sclerosis;
* Fear of intradermal acupuncture;
* allergy to adhesive tape;
* Severe allergic diseases, significant skin lesions, tumors, and severe or unstable internal diseases involving the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, or hematological system;
* Cognitive impairment, mental illness, contagious disease, pregnant and lactating;
* Previously treated withintradermal acupuncture or participating in other clinical trial within 3 months.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Yang Jiang

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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yang Jiang, master

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital

Locations

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Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital

Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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yang Jiang, master

Role: CONTACT

17768069362

Dan Zhang, bachelor

Role: CONTACT

18662237567

Facility Contacts

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Yang Jiang, Master

Role: primary

+8617768069362

Dan Zhang, bachelor

Role: backup

18662237567

Other Identifiers

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LSD2022020

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

ZJGQNKJ202231

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

ZJGYYLL202407030

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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