Clinical Study of Acupuncture Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

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

350 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-02-15

Study Completion Date

2026-01-05

Brief Summary

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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.

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Detailed Description

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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.

Conditions

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Osteoarthritis of the Knees Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee Osteoarthritis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors

Outpatient physicians (X.T and X.Z.X) will perform the initial assessment of the patient, independently enter and collect patient information, and randomize assignment. Patients, outcome assessors and data analysts are not aware of the assignment. The treating physician (W.Z.N) will treat the grouped patients. The statistical analysis team will blind the subgroup assignment and the study. Unblinding will take place at the completion of the trial or at the occurrence of a serious adverse event.

Study Groups

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Treatment group

The intervention was performed by two licensed acupuncturists with at least 10 years of clinical experience who received two weeks of training in standardized intervention methods prior to the trial. Acupoints location refers to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (WHO Standard)〔41〕.The acupuncture group will receive the following acupoints (Figure 3, Table 2): the affected side of Chize(LU5), Quchi (LI11), Dubi (ST35), Fengshi (GB31), and Xiyangguan (GB33).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Acupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

The intervention was performed by two licensed acupuncturists with at least 10 years of clinical experience who received two weeks of training in standardized intervention methods prior to the trial. Acupoints location refers to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (WHO Standard)〔41〕.The acupuncture group will receive the following acupoints (Figure 3, Table 2): the affected side of Chize(LU5), Quchi (LI11), Dubi (ST35), Fengshi (GB31), and Xiyangguan (GB33).

Needling was performed with 0.30mm x 40mm disposable Huatuo brand sterile acupuncture needles.After the needles were inserted, needle manipulation was performed at all acupuncture points to achieve the sensations of soreness, numbness, distension, and heaviness.Each acupoint was manipulated for about 30 seconds, and the acupuncture treatment was performed for one 30-minute session.

Control group

The device's sham needling operation mimics real needling through appearance and tactile sensation, making it difficult for patients to distinguish, meeting the requirement of blinding and effectively controlling the patients' cognitive bias towards the type of intervention. Patients in the sham acupuncture group received this sham acupuncture intervention, which was designed to ensure that only the actual biological effects of acupuncture differed between the experimental group and the control group, and to exclude the psychological implication effects caused by the patients' expectation effects or the operation itself, so as to enhance the scientific validity and reliability of the research results.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Sham acupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

The device's sham needling operation mimics real needling through appearance and tactile sensation, making it difficult for patients to distinguish, meeting the requirement of blinding and effectively controlling the patients' cognitive bias towards the type of intervention. Patients in the sham acupuncture group received this sham acupuncture intervention, which was designed to ensure that only the actual biological effects of acupuncture differed between the experimental group and the control group, and to exclude the psychological implication effects caused by the patients' expectation effects or the operation itself, so as to enhance the scientific validity and reliability of the research results.

Interventions

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Acupuncture

The intervention was performed by two licensed acupuncturists with at least 10 years of clinical experience who received two weeks of training in standardized intervention methods prior to the trial. Acupoints location refers to the WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (WHO Standard)〔41〕.The acupuncture group will receive the following acupoints (Figure 3, Table 2): the affected side of Chize(LU5), Quchi (LI11), Dubi (ST35), Fengshi (GB31), and Xiyangguan (GB33).

Needling was performed with 0.30mm x 40mm disposable Huatuo brand sterile acupuncture needles.After the needles were inserted, needle manipulation was performed at all acupuncture points to achieve the sensations of soreness, numbness, distension, and heaviness.Each acupoint was manipulated for about 30 seconds, and the acupuncture treatment was performed for one 30-minute session.

Intervention Type OTHER

Sham acupuncture

The device's sham needling operation mimics real needling through appearance and tactile sensation, making it difficult for patients to distinguish, meeting the requirement of blinding and effectively controlling the patients' cognitive bias towards the type of intervention. Patients in the sham acupuncture group received this sham acupuncture intervention, which was designed to ensure that only the actual biological effects of acupuncture differed between the experimental group and the control group, and to exclude the psychological implication effects caused by the patients' expectation effects or the operation itself, so as to enhance the scientific validity and reliability of the research results.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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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

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No