Energy healing intervention as complementary therapy in diabetic foot ulcers

ISRCTN ISRCTN17141223
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17141223
Submission date
09/02/2020
Registration date
18/02/2020
Last edited
18/03/2025
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy), is common in some Diabetic patients suffering from Diabetes for a long time. Nerve damage can lead to numbness, pain and weakness in the affected area of the body. Neuropathy in the soles of the feet is more common than anywhere else. The wounds developed in the soles of Diabetic patients are termed as Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs). Diabetic Foot Ulcers can be treated through conventional methods but might keep recurring due to the loss of sensation in the soles. Diabetic Neuropathy is not easily treated in conventional therapies and needs holistic management of the metabolic disorder itself and possible regeneration of nerves in soles of patients suffering from Diabetic Neuropathy and Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

The objective of the study is to clinically establish the role of energy (Pranic) healing as complementary therapy in the management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) in Wagner classification Grade 1 - 3. Wagner scale classifies the wounds depending on their depth and severity. A lower grade implies a superficial wound and a higher grade implies a wound that had gone deep.

Who can participate?
Diabetic patients (men and women) in the age group of 25 - 75 years, visiting the super-speciality referral centre and presenting with Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Wagner scale 1-3 can enrol for the study. Pregnant women and smokers will be excluded.

What does the study involve?
The study involves Pranic healing treatment as complementary therapy in the management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) in Wagner classification Grade 1-3. Half of the participants recruited will be allocated to the trial group i.e Pranic Healing intervention along with standardised medical care for Diabetes and optimum wound care. The other half will be allocated to the control group; i.e. not receive Pranic healing as a complementary therapy, but only receive medical care for Diabetes and optimum wound care.
Pranic Healing protocols for Diabetes Type-2 and local wound healing and regeneration of nerves in the soles and Psychotherapy for stress will be undertaken for the participants in the trial group.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefits of enrolling in the study are accelerated wound healing in terms of size and area of the wound, wound bed appearance, sensory changes in the soles, better glycemic control and reduced stress.
There has been no side effect of energy (Pranic) healing to date.
Risks:
• Thromobosis/ other complications while drawing blood for tests
• Infection of wound, high blood sugar levels, cardiovascular complications
• Patients not following instructions and assuming that the intervention is supposed to replace the conventional treatment

Where is the study run from?
Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology & Research (India)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2019 to November 2019

Who is funding the study?
Part funded and under technical support from Pranic Healing Research Institute, New Jersey (USA)

Who is the main contact?
Anuradha Nittur
anuradha2nittur@gmail.com

Contact information

Ms Anuradha Nittur
Scientific

Mantri Woodlands
Arekere Layout
Bannerghatta Road
Bangalore
560076
India

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0003-1724-2762
Phone +91 8888913348
Email anuradha2nittur@gmail.com

Study information

Study designRandomised, double-blind, comparative study
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet See https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/120trMumZMmCHBYtcGAD1z9NPKjfQe5uJ?usp=sharing
Scientific titleA randomised, double-blind, comparative pilot study to assess the efficacy of short term pranic healing as a complementary therapy in diabetic foot ulcer management in men and women in the age group of 25-75
Study acronymCOMPDIAM-DFU
Study objectivesShort term Pranic Healing intervention can play a significant role in providing complimentary therapy in managing Diabetic Foot Ulcers in patients suffering from diabetes
Ethics approval(s)Approved 14/09/2019, Institutional Ethical Committee, Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology & Research (KIER) (SJICR Campus , Bannerghatta Road, 9th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru-560069, India; +918026647222; ieckier2017@gmail.com ), ref: IEC-KIER 16/14.09.2019
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedDiabetic foot ulcers, stress, and nerve regeneration in soles in diabetic patients
InterventionPranic Healing protocols for Diabetes Type-2, local wound healing and regeneration of nerves in the soles and Psychotherapy for stress will be followed. Participants will be randomly selected, informed and assigned to the trial or control (no treatment) group as per a computerised random table.

The subjects in the trial group will be provided complimentary healing in the form of Pranic Healing - a no-touch, no-drug energy healing modality every day for 50 - 60 minutes along with standardised wound care and medication for diabetes and co-morbidities for five weeks.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measure1. Size and severity of Diabetic Foot Ulcer measured using pictures of the wounds taken on recruitment and at the end of the trial and wound area compared either through the wound zoom camera or using Image J software which will be examined by the clinician and measurements and characteristics noted at recruitment and end of the trial
2. Improved sensation in soles measured through Monofilament and Vibratory Perception Threshold tests using last available reading before the start of the trial and measured at the end of the trial
3. Stress, general well being and appetite measured by means of a questionnaire administered at the end of the trial
Secondary outcome measuresGlycemic level measured through Hba1c or FBS tests using last available reading before the start of the trial and measured at the end of the trial
Overall study start date08/08/2019
Completion date16/11/2019

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants30
Total final enrolment30
Key inclusion criteria1. Men and women in the age group of 25 - 75 years
2. Presence of diabetic foot ulcers in Wagner grade 1 - 3
Key exclusion criteria1. Pregnant women
2. Smokers
Date of first enrolment16/09/2019
Date of final enrolment12/10/2019

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • India

Study participating centre

Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology & Research
Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Campus
Bannerghatta Road
9th Block
Jayanagar
Bangalore
560069
India

Sponsor information

Center for Pranic Healing
Other

420 Valley Brooke Avenue
Lyndhurst
New Jersey
07071
United States of America

Phone +1 512-953-7474
Email info@PranicHealingResearch.com
Website https://www.pranichealingresearch.com/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/02y4rar07

Funders

Funder type

Research organisation

Pranic Healing Research Institute, New Jersey

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date15/02/2020
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryStored in publicly available repository, Other
Publication and dissemination planPlan to submit the report of the Pilot project for publication as soon as the registration is complete.The report is ready to be submitted in relevant peer reviewed journals.
This will hopefully be followed by a full fledged Clinical Trial.
The results of the pilot project will be shared in relevant medical Conferences and workshops.
IPD sharing planAll data generated or analysed during this study will be included in the subsequent results publication.
The details of the participants is available on Mendley datasets (public repository).
COMPDIAM-DFU -patient details - Mendeley Data: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/hrtx5gjp5x

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol file 24/02/2020 No No
Basic results 17/08/2020 17/08/2020 No No
Basic results reanalysed results
version 2
06/09/2021 06/09/2021 No No
Dataset 26/06/2023 No No
Results article 23/10/2023 18/03/2025 Yes No

Additional files

ISRCTN17141223_PROTOCOL.pdf
uploaded 24/02/2020
ISRCTN17141223_BasicResults_17Aug20.pdf
Uploaded 17/08/2020
37849_Basic Results (reanalysed).docx
reanalysed results

Editorial Notes

18/03/2025: Publication reference added.
26/06/2023: A link to the raw data was added and the data file was removed.
22/02/2022: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The funder was changed from "Investigator initiated and funded" to "Pranic Healing Research Institute, New Jersey".
2. The Individual participant data (IPD) sharing statement was updated.
3. The raw data have been uploaded as an additional file.
4. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
06/09/2021: The basic results have been reanalysed and uploaded as an additional file.
09/03/2021: Internal review.
17/08/2020: The basic results of this trial uploaded as an additional file have been updated.
13/08/2020: The following changes have been made:
1. The basic results of this trial have been uploaded as an additional file.
2. The total final enrolment number has been added.
24/02/2020: Uploaded protocol (not peer reviewed) as an additional file.
20/02/2020: Internal review.
19/02/2020: Internal review.
17/02/2020: Trial’s existence confirmed by Institutional Ethical Committee, Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology & Research (KIER)