Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Prof Suzanne McDonough
ORCID ID
Contact details
14J15
Rehabilitation Sciences Research Institute
University of Ulster
Shore Road
Newtown Abbey
County Antrim
BT37 0QB
United Kingdom
+44 (0)28 90 366459
S.McDonough@ulster.ac.uk
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
1
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
ACLBP
Study hypothesis
1. To compare the effectiveness of traditional chinese acupuncture, based on traditional Chinese medical (TCM) diagnosis, with moxibustion/cupping if necessary, with Western acupuncture based on Western diagnosis, without moxibustion/cupping, for chronic non-specific chronic low back pain
2. To explore whether intensive acupuncture treatment frequencies i.e. 5 treatments/week can achieve better treatment effects than 2 treatments/week, for non-specific low back pain
Ethics approval
Not provided at time of registration
Study design
Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Condition
Non-specific low back pain
Intervention
1. Traditional Chinese acupuncture (with moxibustion and cupping if necessary)
2. Western acupuncture
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measures
Visual analogue scale (VAS)
Secondary outcome measures
1. Functional disability
2. Quality of life
3. Psychological impact
4. Shuttle walk test
5. Lateral trunk flexibility
Overall trial start date
01/09/2005
Overall trial end date
01/12/2005
Reason abandoned
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Non-specific acute or chronic low back pain (LBP) as the chief complaint, with or without leg pain
2. Age between 18-60 years and of both genders
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
40
Participant exclusion criteria
1. History of disc or spine surgery
2. Sciatica
3. Neurological disorders and possible serious pathological back problem
4. Systemic bone or joint disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
5. Pregnancy
6. Dementia
7. Severe clotting disorders or anticoagulant therapy
8. Epilepsy
9. Systemic or visceral disease
10. Current use of systemic corticosteroids, muscle relaxants, narcotic medications
11. Overt psychiatric illness
12. Receiving acupuncture treatment within the past 6 months
13. Unemployment or having current pending compensation claims
14. Other acute orthopaedic or medical problems
Recruitment start date
01/09/2005
Recruitment end date
01/12/2005
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
14J15, Rehabilitation Sciences Research Institute
County Antrim
BT37 0QB
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
University of Ulster (UK)
Sponsor details
Vice Chancellor Scholarship
Research office
University of Ulster
County Antrim
BT37 0QB
United Kingdom
+44 (0)28 90366629
n.curry@ulster.ac.uk
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Funder name
University of Ulster (UK) - Vice Chancellor Scholarship (VCRS)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Results - basic reporting
Publication summary
2009 results in: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19398066
Publication citations
-
Results
Yuan J, Purepong N, Hunter RF, Kerr DP, Park J, Bradbury I, McDonough S, Different frequencies of acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain: an assessor-blinded pilot randomised controlled trial., Complement Ther Med, 2009, 17, 3, 131-140, doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2008.10.003.