Electroacupuncture vs Topical Diclofenac Sodium Gel for Patients With Hand Osteoarthritis
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-02-28
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder characterized by pain, stiffness, and
bony enlargements/swellings of multiple joints, in particular distal interphalangeal (DIP),
proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and first carpometacarpal (CMC) joints. Symptomatic hand OA is
estimated to affecting 15.9% of women and 8.2% of men in the general population with a
variable disease course, occurring more frequently in the elderly. Many factors including
age, gender, obesity, genetic predisposition, joint deformity, joint hypermobility, and
trauma are implicated in the development of hand OA. In addition to pain and stiffness,
patients with hand OA often suffer from the reduced grip and pinch strength, decreased range
of motion in involved and noninvolved joints, and difficulty performing dexterous tasks,
resulting in disability in activities of daily living and considerable frustration.
At present, no therapies can completely cure hand OA and few therapeutic options with proven
effectiveness for hand OA exist. Diclofenac sodium gel (DSG) is one of the commonly used
topical NSAIDs, which can provide local pain relief for patients with hand OA with reduced
systemic exposure, potentially reducing the risk of adverse events (AE). Acupuncture is
effective in a host of pain-related conditions, ranging from low back pain, neck pain,
shoulder pain, migraine to pain from knee OA. The research on the effects of acupuncture in
people with hand OA is very limited.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical effectiveness of 4-week
electroacupuncture(EA) compared to topical DSG in the treatment of hand OA. Our primary
hypothesis was that EA would result in a greater pain relief improvement in hand OA compared
with topical DSG.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences